Spring 2010 Open Gate: It’s like creating more public land Mounyo signed up with Open Gate, hunt- access to larger tracts of state or federal Gate – and he doesn’t even hunt or fish. Landowners, hunters ers got another 160 acres to hunt – plus im- property. Either way, the landowner gets a “It’s working great,” he said. “I have not proved access to 40,000 acres of adjacent check and sportsmen get to chase public had any trouble with any hunters.” In fact, embrace new program federal land. wildlife on private land. he has talked neighbors into enrolling, By Joel Gay Jim Frank Richardson opened his New Mexico’s program is only a few Wertheim said. New Mexico Wildlife Federation 25,000-acre ranch in eastern New Mexi- years old, but so far it’s going well, said Open Gate was created in 2005 and be- co to turkey, quail and dove hunters, and Aaron Roberts, who coordinates Open gan collecting its operating funds the fol- New Mexico sportsmen have more than specifically invites youth hunters onto his Gate for the Department of Game and lowing spring – it gets $1 from each Habi- 30 million acres of public land to hunt and land for a chance to shoot a deer. Fish. Nearly all the landowners who have tat Management and Access Validation fish on. They got 18,000 more when ranch- Open Gate does exactly what its name enrolled in the past continue to sign up, stamp sold. The stamp fees provide about er Bill Wertheim opened his Pecos River implies – it opens the gate for public sports- he said, and complaints from hunters and $250,000 a year, but currently only about valley property to upland game hunters men by leasing land from willing private landowners are minimal. half the money is being used to lease prop- through the state’s Open Gate program. landowners. Some leases offer good hunt- Wertheim, whose ranch is near Fort When Socorro-area landowner Johnny ing or fishing opportunity. Others provide Sumner, said he’s a supporter of Open See “Open Gate,” Page 12 Trophies back Turkey season once illegal puts spring in roads closed step of many Authorities tap 1973 New regulations aim law to curb illegal to improve opportunity activity in Carson NF for ‘fans of fans’ By Garrett VeneKlasen By Jim Bates Special to the New Mexico Wildlife Federation Special to the New Mexico Wildlife Federation It was one of those mid-September out- There’s something about the gobble of a ings that public land elk hunters dream of wild turkey at close range. It’s not so much but rarely experience. about hearing the sound as feeling it. The By 11 a.m. my cousin Darrell and I had gobble has a certain reverberation that lit- close encounters with five “shooter” bulls, erally penetrates the soul and the psyche. including a 330-class 6-by-6 that was in Those who experience it – and especial- such a bugling, chuckling frenzy that he ly those who have called the turkey in – of- brushed my shoulder with his antler! ten are awestruck by the encounter. Over Elk were everywhere: cows, calves, time, the pursuit of the wild turkey gobbler spikes, satellite and herd bulls spread during the spring hunt can indeed become across the entire three-mile slope of a re- an obsession. cently created roadless area in Carson Na- My first encounter with an amorous gob- tional Forest near Taos. bler occurred in a remote canyon in the It wasn’t just the sheer number of ani- Gila Wilderness back in 1975. That bird mals that made the hunt so special. The elk came to my calling on the last day of the were unusually comfortable because the spring hunt. I was so transfixed by the per- off-road vehicle traffic that once pushed formance he put on for me that cold and the animals into the dark timber soon after windy April morning that I was forever daybreak was no longer present. changed. As I stood over the magnificent I was calling and Darrell had the tag. bird, his iridescent feathers glistening in Darrell passed on five bulls because he the early morning sunlight just breaking glimpsed a sixth that made the others look over the pine-covered ridge above, I knew like raghorns. I had found my hunting passion. Here, We nicknamed him the “moaner” be- some 35 years and many, many similar cause of his deep-chested, plaintive hunts later, the flame that kindled that pas- groans. Now and again we could catch a sion remains strong. glimpse of his massive rack as he trotted The fact is, I am not at all a rarity in my through the timber trying to rein in his harem. See “Turkey,” Page 3 Late that afternoon we set up on the bull. He was pacing and bugling along a Darrell Johnson heads out of the woods after a successful bowhunt in Carson National low ridge line above a wallow, and Darrell Forest. He took the animal in an area where state and federal authorities have started moved into position about 75 yards below enforcing off-road vehicle laws, allowing game populations to thrive and hunters to INSIDE: him. Soon I heard Darrell’s bow release, enjoy improved opportunity. (Photo by Lane Warner) the crack of the arrow, and the big bull •Antelope to get management thundering back up the ridge into the tim- highway a half mile away. This was public that off-road vehicle operations are dam- plan for first time, Page 6 ber. We followed his blood trail for about land hunting at its finest! aging wildlife reproduction, management •Peek behind the scenes on 100 yards, but with darkness falling we de- But we only have such a story to tell be- or habitat. Whites Peak trades, Page 8 cided to leave the bull alone until the next cause the state Legislature, in 1973, passed Wherever this act was properly imple- morning. the Habitat Protection Act. The act allows mented, wildlife flourished. Game and •Bank of America pockets big We returned at daybreak and found the the Department of Game and Fish to work non-game species alike rely on large, con- bucks from hunt fees, Page 13 monarch on a logging road 300 yards from with private landowners or public land tiguous, protected tracts of country for where Darrell shot him. After consider- management agencies like the U.S. For- food, cover and breeding habitat. After •Game wardens to target the able celebration, we carefully quartered est Service to restrict vehicle use when worst offenders, Page 14 the bull and packed him downhill to the the State Game Commission determines See “Carson,” Page 5 President’s Message: Private lands conservation work important to all By Ed Olona, President ownership. New Mexico Wildlife Federation Conservation easements are an impor- tant tool for landowners who do not want As New Mexico hunters, anglers and to see their property developed and sub- outdoor enthusiasts, we spend the vast ma- divided. As Joel Gay explains in this is- jority of our time on public land. A survey sue, the conservation easement movement by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service a few has been slow to take root in New Mexico, years ago found that more than 90 percent due in part to a lack of funds and in part of resident hunters here use public lands. to some popular misconceptions. But with An overwhelming majority of days afield the help of local and national land trusts that involve hiking and fishing are also (some of which are profiled on Page 11) spent on public lands and waters. and new sources of funding created with So it can be too easy sometimes for the the help of NMWF and others, conserva- average New Mexico resident to overlook tion easements are becoming a viable tool the importance of large and small blocks for more and more landowners in the state. of private land to our wildlife and outdoor Funding for habitat restoration and im- way of life. provement is a key tool to assist private We at the New Mexico Wildlife Federa- landowners interested in wildlife con- tion also spend the majority of our time and servation. Today, private land conserva- efforts on public land—working to protect tion programs in the federal Farm Bill places like the Valle Vidal, Valles Caldera, total more than the entire budget of the Otero Mesa, the Rio Grande Gorge, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. But even Ed Olona is president of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation, which has helped initiate Organ Mountains, Whites Peak and other as funds for conservation programs have several programs that benefit landowners and sportsmen alike. places where all citizens can enjoy wildlife skyrocketed, the number of staff to imple- and outdoor activities. However, working ment them has plummeted. Many state interest of landowners and sportsmen, and trading hunters’ access to public land for to implement programs and funding that wildlife agencies have picked up the slack as we were told by program coordinator access to private land, all in the name of support private land conservation is also a by hiring their own biologists—a strat- Aaron Roberts, “The sky’s the limit.” It resolving disputes for the landowner. Most large and important part of what we do at egy that has proved successful in bring- isn’t known whether the Department of of the unitizations appear to benefit both NMWF. ing money to the state and implementing Game and Fish will have the staffing or sides, but the public has been left out of the This issue of the Outdoor Reporter is habitat improvements on the ground. A planning in place to compete for a piece of decision-making process. focused on shining a light on some of the coalition of groups including NMWF are the $50 million in new federal funding, but The unitization process is used infre- landowners, organizations and programs working now with the state Department of it certainly could if Open Gate is seen as a quently – only eight are in place now – but that are advancing private land conserva- Game and Fish to make the first such hire high priority in New Mexico. the idea is not new. I have correspondence tion in New Mexico. n New Mexico — an important develop- In this issue we also take a look at in my files about the idea dating from 1977. Overall, New Mexico has been behind ment highlighted on Page 10. NMWF’s important work trying to involve Back then, William O. Jordan, general the curve on implementation of private Included in the most recent Farm Bill re- sportsmen like you in the decision-making counsel to Commissioner of Public Lands land conservation programs, but a few authorization is $50 million for assistance process. Part of that effort is encouraging Phil R Lucero, wrote to say there is no recent devel- to state access public agencies to be open and transpar- statute requiring unitization of state lands opments point programs like ent and to seek public involvement when under the Game and Fish Easement. That to a promising Overall, New Mexico has New Mex- making decisions that affect your wildlife, provision was put in by the Land Commis- future – if op- ico’s Open hunting and fishing. sioner and the Game Department to take portunities are been behind the curve on Gate. Volun- We update you on Department of Game care of conflicts where land ownership is taken advan- implementation of private tary access and Fish plans to revise the way it distrib- a checkerboard of public and private. The tage of. programs utes antelope hunting licenses on Page 6. idea was to open additional lands for hunt- First, wheth- land conservation programs, like Mon- The department’s unique and controver- ing and fishing that would otherwise be er you use pri- tana’s Block sial system of transferable licenses differs inaccessable for the reason that the hunter vate land or but recent developments Management from species to species but all have one would have to get permission to cross pri- not, I think we or Kansas’s thing in common—any decision affect- vate lands. In this connection, the Game can all recog- point to a promising future Walk-In Ac- ing the license allocation is guaranteed Department has been looking after the nize that no- – if opportunities are taken cess program to become controversial and politicized. hunter’s interests. body wins have proven Because this transferable license system New Mexico Wildlife Federation has when a farmer advantage of. to be among is the single largest factor affecting your been working since 1914 to encourage or rancher runs the most pop- ability to draw a hunting license, it is im- sportsmen’s involvement in the issues that out of econom- ular things a portant for you to stay involved as Game affect them, including working with pri- ic options and is forced to sell their land state wildlife agency can do, with hunt- and Fish works through the process to a vate landowners to resolved issues that for development or subdivision. Even the ers, anglers and landowners alike. States decision this fall. spring up. We believe this has been a suc- person who exclusively relies on public that have dedicated time and resources to We also take a look (Page 8) at the State cessful effort to date and that it should lands will suffer from the loss of habitat implementing such programs have provid- Land Office’s efforts to hide or mislead the continue into the future. across the fence, be they a waterfowl hunt- ed an important financial option for land- public about Whites Peak. It shows why If you have not done so already, please er who understands the importance of ag- owners and opened millions of new acres we need to continue asking for sunlight join NMWF and support the work we are riculture to migratory bird populations or of hunting and fishing for the public. New and public input into decisions that affect doing to make sportsmen’s voices heard a big game hunter who understands how Mexico’s Open Gate program (on Page 1), us as hunters and anglers. and to protect our outdoor way of life in critical it is for wildlife to be able to free- which was started with the help of NMWF, And we examine a rarely used program New Mexico. Your support truly makes a ly move across the landscape of different has been slowly growing and grabbing the called unitization (Page 9) that involves difference. Join today! NMWF members have been protecting New Mexico’s outdoor way of life for nearly 100 years! Your donation helps us continue working to protect the outdoor way of life for future Sportsmen protecting our outdoor way of life since 1914 generations of New Mexicans. Opportunity • Habitat • Youth Members receive the Outdoor Reporter, our The Outdoor Reporter is a quarterly publication of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation, a exclusive Big Game Hunt Draw Odds Report nonprofit group working to protect the rights and traditions of New Mexico sportsmen since its inception in 1914. NMWF is practical, solutions-oriented and successful, finding common ground and more. with landowners and management agencies to produce results that benefit sportsmen and wildlife. And by joining, you’ll help shape the future of To join or sign up for our Sportsman’s Alert, visit www.nmwildlife.org. NMWF and protect the wildlife, habitat and Board President: Ed Olona Conservation Director: Alan Hamilton access to public lands in our state. Executive Director: Jeremy Vesbach Campaign Coordinator: Oscar Simpson Development Director: Michelle Briscoe Campaign Coordinator: John Cornell It’s quick and easy to join – Communications Director: Joel Gay Campaign Coordinator: Kent Salazar Go to www.nmwildlife.org (505) 299-5404 • 2610 San Mateo NE, Suite A, Albuquerque NM 87110 • www.nmwildlife.org or fill out the form on Page 20.

Page 2 NMWF Outdoor Reporter • Spring 2010 . . . Turkey hunters rejoice when spring rolls in Continued from Page 1 fascination with the wild turkey. At last count there were about 2.5 million turkey hunters in the United States, and the number continues to grow as more hunters are intro- duced to the chase. In New Mexico the number of turkey hunters, especially in the spring hunt when gobbling tur- keys abound, has been on a steady increase for the last decade or so. And even though the number of hunters con- tinues to rise, turkey populations have exploded across the country as well, presenting abundant opportunities for sportsmen to try their hand at the game. Spring gobbler hunting, in particular, is addictive. It is hard to imagine that a 20-pound bird can captivate oth- erwise normal-seeming folks so completely, but the evi- dence is overwhelming. I know many hunters who have become star-struck with gobblers. As far as I can tell, Jim Lane is one of them. His path to that fate started in Kentucky and ended up in New Mex- ico. After many years working in the Kentucky Depart- ment of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Lane is the new chief of the Wildlife Management Division for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. Turkey hunting is big in Kentucky, and Jim and his wife Beth are serious turkey hunters. So naturally, when he ac- cepted the position in New Mexico, his interests gravitat- ed toward the state’s wild turkey resource, its management policies and regulations. As should be expected in anything as dynamic as wild- life management, rules and regulations are in a constant state of “tweaking,” changing to suit conditions and the whims of the public. Part of Lane’s job is to analyze the available information on our game populations and evalu- ate the need for modifying the management. After looking into the status of New Mexico’s wild tur- Wild turkeys, particularly in the spring, have a strong following among hunters. An estimated 2.5 million hunters buy key populations, management strategies and hunting op- turkey licenses every year in the United States. (Photo © 2000-2010 N.M. Department of Game and Fish) portunities, he said, “One of the first things I noticed was the relatively limited fall hunting opportunities. My initial The state’s ongoing trap-and-transplant program has grad- reaction is that we should be able to provide more hunting ually returned wild turkeys to areas where they had been Turkey rules up for change in the fall than we are.” eliminated by overharvest. Both subspecies are on the in- He has already recommended moving the fall hunt back crease in many, if not most, of the habitats they occupy, The State Game Commission is scheduled to con- from the current Sept. 6-14 dates to allow the young-of- Lane said. sider a number of proposed changes in the Turkey the-year birds to mature, and to expand the season length. Regardless of changes in hunting opportunity, Lane is Rule this year. He is proposing a fall season that runs Nov. 1-30. adamant about improving mandatory harvest reporting, Public comment is being taken on the proposals “From the response I have received from sportsmen, “not only for wild turkeys, but for all of our game species,” through April, with final action scheduled for Thurs- they seem to be in favor of trying this,” Lane said. “The he said. “We cannot reliably assess our hunting programs day, June 3, in Gallup. fall turkey population, from my perspective, is current- and our wildlife populations without knowing how many Some highlights of the proposals include: ly being underutilized. We should be giving our hunters of them we are harvesting each year. This is one thing more of a chance to take advantage of the situation we that I will be pushing for as soon as it can be implemented • Prohibiting hunting turkeys (and upland game have.” within the department.” birds) over bait. He also has recommended changes in the spring hunt When turkey season begins April 15, Lane and his fam- • Increasing the spring turkey bag limit to two, regulations. “I like the two-bird bag limit in that it gives ily will be out chasing gobblers in the wilds of New Mex- without purchase of a second license, except in the turkey hunters added opportunity to participate in a hunt ico for the first time. The setting will be a little different Valles Caldera. that is, fundamentally, about harvesting surplus gobblers.” than Kentucky, but no doubt the obsession will be just the • Changing the fall turkey season to Nov. 1–30. He also said there is support for a one-bird daily bag same. And when that gobbler comes to their calls, strut- • Opening certain additional GMUs to spring and limit as part of the two-bird season limit. The two-bird ting and drumming at 15 yards and then hitting them with fall turkey hunting. limit gives hunters more opportunity, but allowing two a penetrating gobble they will feel right to their soul, they • Extending legal shooting hours by 30 minutes, birds a day “just increases situational harvest,” Lane said. will no doubt feel at home. closing half an hour after sunset. “Many turkey hunters understand that multiple bag lim- • Legalizing crossbow use by any hunter, not just its on turkeys are not necessarily about increasing turkey Jim Bates of Las Cruces has engaged in various outdoor disabled hunters. kills; it’s about creating the opportunity for more quality pursuits in southern New Mexico for nearly 50 years. He is For more on the proposed changes in turkey reg- hunting experiences.” president of the New Mexico chapter of the National Wild ulations and to comment, go to the Department of Hand in hand with expanding opportunity, the depart- Turkey Federation and a member of numerous other outdoor Game andNo Fish one Web offers site, www.wildlife.state.nm.us. more discounts. ment continues to expand the range of the two main sub- organizations, and is a regular contributor to the Outdoor species in the state, the Merriam’s and the Rio Grande. Reporter. 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Sign up to become a member at nmwildlife.org Page 3 Private land a laboratory for wildlife habitat work by Joel Gay New Mexico Wildlife Federation Sportsmen have always known that healthy habitat con- tributes to plentiful wildlife populations. But exactly what is healthy habitat? How tall should grama grass be to sup- port quail and grouse? Is mountain mahogany better than oak for mule deer? How much piñon-juniper is necessary for elk, and how much is too much? Private land is helping to provide the answers. Think of it as a laboratory, said Lou Bender, a wildlife professor and researcher at New Mexico State University. “Private land managers have much more freedom to ma- nipulate their lands than public land managers,” he said. And with private property making up a substantial por- tion of New Mexico’s total land mass, Bender said, “Any- thing we can do to maximize habitat quality on private lands is going to benefit not only the private lands but pub- lic lands as well.” In recent years Bender has been conducting research in ranches in New Mexico, Texas and Mexico on habi- tat conditions – specifically, what is best for creating the healthiest mule deer and elk. Now he and his students are working with landowners to implement specific changes in their land management techniques. The beauty of working on private land, he said, is that ranch and farm managers don’t need approval to burn or bulldoze. They can plant whatever they want and cut down what they choose. If they want to ban all activities in an area for a week, a month or a year, they can. Bender’s research on mule deer and elk habitat suggests a selective approach works best. One size does not fit all, particularly if the land in question also has livestock on it, he said. In piñon-juniper country, the forest canopy should be limited to around 33 percent, he said. If the forest is thick- er than that, it provides great security for game animals but limits sunlight and restricts the growth of the grass- es, shrubs and forbs (nonwoody, nongrassy plants such as clover) that wildlife require. If the canopy is less than 30 percent, the understory thrives, but the animals don’t get adequate cover. Once the forest cover has been thinned to the proper ratio, Bender says prescribed burns are often required, de- pending on soil type and time of year. If the soil allows for grass, an appropriate number of livestock can actually benefit wildlife, Bender said. Deer and antelope can more easily reach low-growing forbs if cattle have reduced grass heights. Research has shown that land managers must encourage a combination of trees, shrubs, forbs and grass to ensure that wild game achieve optimal condition and long-term survival rates. It also shows that the devil is in the details. Ten years ago, Bender said, “The whole emphasis was

Prescribed burns are one of many tools land managers on both public and private land can use to improve habitat for wildlife. (Photo © 2000-2010 N.M. Department of Game and Fish)

to promote forbs,” which offer the highest nutritional Some ranchers continue to run cattle only, perhaps be- quality for deer and elk. But in much of the Southwest cause of the lifestyle, he said. “(But) they need to realize droughts occur roughly six years of every 10, and forbs there’s an opportunity cost to that livestock.” are extremely sensitive to drought. If land is managed Landowners can have both livestock and wildlife, Rol- strictly to encourage forb growth, wildlife populations lins said, but his research suggests they have to start man- can fall by 50 percent after two or three years of drought. aging their land differently. It means running fewer cattle Bender’s research suggests that land managers practice and looking at the habitat with new eyes. a form of xeriscape – encouraging woody, drought-toler- In wildlife habitat management, Rollins said, 80 per- ant plants such as mountain mahogany and oak as part of cent of the value comes from controlling just two factors: the habitat plan. stocking rates and brush. “If you can tweak those knobs,” “It’s not quite as nutritional (for wildlife) as forbs,” but he said, “you can have a great impact on wildlife.” in six of 10 years the woody plants provide something to For example, ranchers typically want to remove all eat when the forbs die out, he said. And when the drought the brush so more grass will grow for their cattle, Rol- ends, the deer or elk population may be down only 10 or lins said. Those who want wildlife need to leave brush in 20 percent rather than 50 percent in areas where they re- place, he said. “We focus on ‘brush sculpting’ – creating a lied solely on forbs. landscape that accommodates wildlife.” In central Texas, Dale Rollins is experimenting with If you want quail on your land, you have to reduce the land management techniques aimed at improving quail stocking rate of cattle, he said. Birds need thick grass to habitat, but with a nod toward white-tailed deer and cat- nest in, which means cattle can’t stay in one field until tle. That emphasis on both wildlife and livestock mirrors the stubble is down to the ground. Overgrazing is a major what he sees happening in Texas and elsewhere in the impediment to wildlife, Rollins said, and he tells ranch- West, he said. ers they have to roll back their stocking rates if they want “The new landowner in Texas buys his ranch property quail to thrive. not to grow steers or wheat but to grow quail and deer,” Habitat managers like Dale Hall, who runs the Habi- he said. New Mexico may not be exactly the same, given tat Stamp Program for the state Department of Game and that ranchers here have lots of public land to graze cat- Fish, say they rely on new research to help inform their tle on. But increasingly, ranch sales throughout the West decisions. are driven by the land’s potential for wildlife and hunting In fact, Hall said, Bender’s work has already affected rather than for livestock and ranching, Rollins said. Habitat Stamp Program efforts. “It’s changed a lot of our New Mexico State University professor Lou Bender He’s lucky – he manages the 4,700-acre Rolling Plains emphasis,” Hall said, particularly the research that showed studies habitat and its effect on mule deer and elk. Much Quail Research Ranch as a nonprofit operation. But Rol- the importance of lush green growth during the spring- of his work perfecting habitat management techniques lins estimates that two-thirds of the ranches in his region time fawning season. “You have to keep that browse in is done on private land. (Photo provided by Lou Bender) of Texas get more income from wildlife than livestock. good condition.”

Page 4 NMWF Outdoor Reporter • Spring 2010 . . . Carson ends off-road mess, wildlife rebounds Continued from Page 1 again from illegal OHV traffic. A handful of scofflaws have disregarded the act went into effect, populations of elk, the closures and removed signs, staining deer, turkey, bear, grouse and other spe- the public image of the off-road vehicle cies exploded. In a very short period, the community, but Game and Fish and Car- Camino Real District of Carson National son National Forest field officers have sys- Forest became one of the most sought-after tematically confronted and shut down the hunting units in the state. lawless activities. And hunting was just one activity that Some closure points had to be signed benefited from the Habitat Protection Act. and bermed again and again. Sting op- Hikers, horseback erations were, and enthusiasts and still are, regularly mountain bikers The end result of these performed. Bla- flocked to Taos be- tant offenders have cause of the access efforts is both profound been given warn- to pristine and wild and amazing. In just two ings and citations. country. Today, the Most important, South Boundary months, wildlife activity Taos magistrate Trail in the Cami- judges fully sup- no Real District is markedly increased.... ported the prose- considered one of cution of these ci- the top mountain bike trails in the United tations. Fines and penalties were assessed States. The revenue generated by nonmo- to the full extent of the law to give the pub- torized recreation in communities sur- lic a clear message that travel restrictions rounding the Carson is at least $13.4 mil- are a serious matter. lion, and helps create more than 170 local The end result of these efforts is both jobs. profound and amazing. In just two months, Since 2003, however, off-highway vehi- wildlife activity markedly increased – even cle (OHV) sales have tripled in the United along heavily used unauthorized routes. States, and the frequency of OHV activ- A significant portion of the elk herd that ity has increased exponentially throughout fled onto adjacent pueblo lands returned Carson National Forest. just weeks after the gates were installed. The Camino Real District was espe- Last September, unprecedented numbers cially hard hit due to its proximity to Taos of elk rutted – uninterrupted – throughout and the fast-growing resort communities the protected area. Turkeys have returned of Valle Escondido and Angel Fire. Rid- with a vengeance. One can now walk on Darrell Johnson, Tobin Rippo and Garrett VeneKlasen savor the moment before starting ers and woodcutters began to open up new roads recently traveled by ATVs and dirt the real work of a hunt — getting the animal home. Johnson took the big bull in an routes and to use others left over from tim- bikes and find mule deer, bear, fox, bob- area of Carson National Forest near Taos where new off-road vehicle law enforcement ber operations in the 1940s and ‘50s. cats, grouse and myriad non-game species. efforts have paid off. (Photos by Lane Warner) Now the once-pristine, wildlife-filled This project was so successful that plans country is riddled with roads, literally are now in the works to “re-protect” nu- dall Clark, Art Abeyta, Drew Core, Amy state equal to or better than their current driving out the wildlife. Confrontations merous other large contiguous tracts Simms, Craig Saum, MaryAnn Elder and condition. Without the protection of large, between nonmotorized users and an irrev- throughout the Camino Real. Greg Miller) and the Department of Game contiguous tracts of prime wildlife habitat, erent minority of the OHV community es- The off-road community deserves a and Fish (Scott Draney and Gabe Maes) – these resources are in jeopardy. calated drastically. place in the national forest system, but should be applauded for their role in pro- It is time that other Forest Service But in July 2009, as part of the Travel OHV users need to have a heightened tecting wildlife and wildlife habitat. They ranger districts follow in the footsteps of Management Planning process, Carson awareness of their sport’s impact on wild- took the initiative on their own accord and the Camino Real. Protective measures National Forest took a bold and unprec- life, wildlife habitat and other forest users. should be a role model for the entire state. throughout New Mexico’s national forest edented step to curb this problem. New The OHV community has not been com- However, other ranger districts, such as system must be taken immediately if we gates, berms and signs were placed from promised with these new protection mea- the Jemez and Pecos in Santa Fe National are to maintain healthy and vibrant eco- the end of Forest Road 10 east to Forest sures. In Carson National Forest alone, Forest, are not taking the lead on resource systems. The benefits are obvious and en- Road 706 in an area that was previously there are 91 miles of designated motorized protection. Unfortunately, the habitat and during; the consequences of failing to act closed to OHVs but where illegal intru- trails and 2,641 miles of maintained roads wildlife degradation caused by OHV mis- are tragic and very likely permanent, espe- sions were commonplace. open to the public. That’s farther than from use will worsen until these folks follow cially in our children’s lifetime. When the new gates and signs were Taos to New York City, and more than the steps taken by their counterparts in the in place, more than 5,000 acres of prime enough to satisfy ardent OHV enthusiasts. Carson National Forest. Garrett VeneKlasen is a lifetime resi- public wildlife habitat was protected once Field staff of the Forest Service (Ken- Fortunately, the Department of Game dent of New Mexico and a contributor in and Fish understands the urgency of re- both print and photography to Field & source protection and plans to increase Stream, Outdoor Life, Gray’s Sporting both education and enforcement efforts to Journal and Fly Fisherman magazines. encourage the OHV community to comply He also is an OHV enthusiast of 16 with safe, ethical riding practices. years, as well as a board member of the Regardless of our personal stand on New Mexico Chapter of Backcountry travel management, it is our moral obli- Hunters and Anglers, a national organi- gation to pass precious resources such as zation that advocates the establishment of public lands on to future generations in a public roadless areas.

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Sign up to become a member at nmwildlife.org Page 5 Antelope management approaches fork in road By Joel Gay the management plan – is nearly complete, New Mexico Wildlife Federation Baca said in late March. It will encompass every aspect of pronghorn management, New Mexico’s antelope herds are a from survey protocols and population prominent feature of the state’s mix of models to buck-to-doe ratios and harvest public and private lands, and pronghorn levels. management has been much the same – One change the department hopes wins variable. approval from the State Game Commis- There is no statewide management plan sion is eliminating the current system of for antelope. The protocol for determining “antelope management units,” which differ harvest levels varies from region to region. from the game management units (GMUs) Local managers are on their own when it used for most other species. “They just comes to divvying up transferable tags to don’t serve a purpose,” Baca said. landowners enrolled in the Antelope Pri- One of the last bits of the plan to come vate Lands Use System, or A-PLUS. together is aerial population survey proto- But that’s starting to change. Depart- cols, Baca said. The department currently ment of Game and Fish staff have writ- surveys antelope herds in the spring, be- ten a statewide plan designed to standard- fore the new crop of fawns is born. “We ize antelope management in New Mexico. want to change the survey flights to late The plan, which will be ready for public summer or early fall,” and start including review in June, will eliminate variability fawns in the population counts, he said. in survey techniques, establish consisten- Surveys typically give the biologists a cy in setting harvest goals and ensure that good idea of a herd’s buck-to-doe ratio, pronghorn are managed sustainably, said but Baca said New Mexico has never had a Cal Baca, manager of private lands pro- consistent strategy for using those ratios to grams for the department. determine optimal population size or com- “We want to make antelope manage- position. Antelope management in New Mexico will come under a single statewide plan in a ment biologically based and scientifically “We don’t have a good feel on whether system being established this spring by the Department of Game and Fish. The new sound,” he said. we have too many bucks or too many does” management plan will be the basis of possible changes in the state’s unique – and The new plan will also be the founda- in any given area, he said. As a result, the some hunters would say unfair – program for distributing transferable licenses. (Photo tion of another change in antelope man- harvest strategy has varied from region to © 2000-2010 N.M. Department of Game and Fish) agement, one that resident hunters will be region, and managers have tended toward watching closely – a revised approach to the conservative side, he said. transferable license system and the non- draw, wildlife agencies have aggressively allocating hunting opportunity. It’s too early to say for sure whether resident quota, resident hunters are only pursued voluntary private land access pro- Antelope hunting is a sore point for the new survey techniques and popula- guaranteed about 25 percent of the ante- grams that make direct payments to land- many New Mexico sportsmen because to- tion modeling tools will allow for a greater lope licenses in New Mexico, as compared owners for access to game species like day only about 30 percent of all antelope statewide antelope harvest, but Baca said to 90 percent in Wyoming, Arizona and antelope. The Department of Game and tags are distributed through the big game an increase looks likely. other states. Fish has such a program, Open Gate, but draw. The remaining 70 percent are al- “We just feel like we’ve been very, very The Game Commission specifically the program is relatively new and has not located as transferable authorizations to conservative in the past. That has affected asked for options to increase resident ante- used all available funding to lease land and landowners enrolled in the program known both the public draw and private landown- lope hunting opportunity. The department reach its full potential (see Page 1). as Antelope Private Lands Use System, or er allocations,” he said. will give the commission four options, A third option for revising A-PLUS will A-PLUS. Hunters in New Lane said, including one that calls for no be the department’s preferred alternative, Department staff “We want to make Mexico are clamor- changes in A-PLUS. and which has been the focus of discussion spent “a ton of ing for better odds Another option would eliminate A- within the department this spring, Lane hours” this winter antelope management in the draw for an- PLUS altogether, and would allocate most said. Dubbed the “2010 proposal,” it would and spring working telope tags to bring antelope tags through the big game draw. maintain A-PLUS, but would make some on proposed chang- biologically based and New Mexico more Landowners who agreed to allow hunters revisions. In early April, however, the pro- es to the A-PLUS scientifically sound.” in line with other on their land would be awarded one free posal was still in draft form and Lane said program, said Jim western states, and authorization, Lane said. he couldn’t talk about it in detail. Lane, chief of the Cal Baca, the most controver- If that option were approved, many hunt- The fourth option is one devised by de- Wildlife Manage- sial aspect of the ers would have to negotiate with landown- partment staff in 2008 that would revise ment Division. That NMDGF antelope overhaul ers (and likely have to pay a trespass fee) A-PLUS to more closely resemble the E- proposal will be one facing the Game if they wanted to hunt on private land, but PLUS program for elk. It didn’t get much of four options that will be made public Commission this fall is how to modify the resident hunters would receive 78 percent support when it was first considered two in June and presented to the State Game department’s unique system of allocating of tags in the draw – a dramatic increase years ago, however. Commission for approval this fall. licenses through transferable authoriza- over the 25 percent they currently receive. Lane said the department will convene Hunters will be able to weigh in on the tions. Many landowners would no doubt op- a group of stakeholders later this spring to proposals at two levels, Lane said. First, a The antelope harvest is about 6,000 ani- pose such an option. They have grown discuss all four options. Each option would group of stakeholders including hunters, mals a year, but the chance of getting a tag accustomed to receiving transferable au- be discussed in detail, including biological landowners and others will consider all in the big game draw is less than 10 per- thorizations worth hundreds or even thou- effects, the changes in hunting opportuni- four department options later this spring cent. That’s because roughly 70 percent of sands of dollars apiece—and thereby sell- ty and tag allocation, he said. and may suggest changes to the propos- tags are currently allocated outside of the ing access to tags rather than simply sell- “We want to let the stakeholders ham- als. Revised options will then go out to the big game draw as transferable authoriza- ing access to land. mer out the issues. Maybe there’s another general public for comment in June. A fi- tions. There are other programs, however, that option out there the department hasn’t con- nal draft of the options will go before the Reducing the resident hunter’s chances would allow the department to reward sidered, or maybe we could tweak some- Game Commission for approval Sept. 30 even further is the state law that requires landowners for their contribution to wild- thing already on the table,” Lane said. in Ruidoso. 22 percent of all tags in the big game draw life. In many states where most or all tags The first step of the antelope overhaul – be awarded to nonresidents. Between the are still distributed through a big game Continued on next page

Antelope tags in public draw vs. outside big game draw Proportion of antelope tags going to residents vs. nonresidents

Outside big Nonresident game draw

Resident Big game draw

Graphs are based on the best available data from N.M. Dept. of Game and Fish, but show the percentage of licenses going to New Mexico resident hunters has but the data is incomplete. Graphs should be analyzed for general trends only, declined dramatically over time.

Page 6 NMWF Outdoor Reporter • Spring 2010 Desert bighorn hunt plans called off for now Desert bighorn sheep hunters will have be somewhat less cumbersome. It would to put their dreams on hold. The Depart- require convening panels of bighorn sheep ment of Game and Fish has decided not to experts to look over the data collected by pursue an expansion of hunts this year. the Department of Game and Fish and de- Instead, at the behest of Director Tod termine whether, in fact, the population Stevenson, the department is taking a step met the criteria for delisting. back, potentially to examine whether the According to Goldstein, the criteria for desert bighorn sheep, a threatened species delisting are a statewide population of at in New Mexico, meets the criteria for de- least 500, plus three distinct subpopula- listing. tions of 100 or more each. She said the Earlier this year the department an- state’s most recent survey found an esti- nounced that efforts to boost the popula- mated 550 animals – the midpoint of the tion of desert bighorns around southern fall survey. There also are two populations New Mexico had paid off and that sheep of more than 100 animals, and a third that stocks are above the 500 mark. According is just under 100. That suggests the species to department analysis, there are enough is right at the threshold of whether it could animals to allow a harvest of at least 14 meet the criteria for delisting. and as many as 26 rams. No more than two If all New Mexico desert bighorn sheep licenses are offered now – one through the stocks were delisted, it would clear the big game draw and another through an way for expanded hunts. However the del- auction or raffle aimed at raising funds for isting route would have potentially large bighorn sheep management. drawbacks, as it would also remove other A public meeting with hunters to discuss protections on desert bighorn habitat. the proposed expansion in opportunity The state currently offers hunting on was held this winter in Albuquerque where one state-listed threatened species, the the idea was positively received, accord- Gould’s wild turkey. It also allows hunts ing to Elise Goldstein, the state’s bighorn for two desert bighorn sheep in the Pelon- sheep biologist. At the time, she said she cillo Mountains – thanks to a move by the hoped the Game Commission would ap- state Legislature that removed that partic- prove the additional hunts in time for the ular desert bighorn stock from the threat- 2011-12 season. ened species list. But later in the spring, Stevenson put the At press time the Department of Game hunt decision on hold to potentially review and Fish had not fully worked out how it whether desert bighorn could be delisted – would proceed. To stay informed on this a process that could up to two years. and other issues as they develop, sign up Desert bighorn sheep are on the state for the NMWF Sportsman’s Alert and the Desert bighorn sheep have rebounded in New Mexico, but plans announced earlier this threatened species list, not the federal list, Sportsman’s News Roundup via e-mail at year by the Department of Game and Fish to expand sheep hunting opportunity have which means the delisting process would www.nmwildlife.org. been put on hold. (Photo © 2000-2010 N.M. Department of Game and Fish) . . . A-PLUS revisions possible Continued from previous page Albuquerque. And after the commission weighs in on the four options, a final ver- After that process is through, the de- sion of each option will go out for 30 days partment will use stakeholders’ comments comment, then voted on in late September. and concerns and, if necessary, revise the “We’re looking for a decision on Sept. options before putting them out for pub- 30, but the fall-back plan is a decision in lic comment in June. The department will December,” which is the last chance to re- then hold public meetings where the pub- vise the 2011-12 regulations, he said. Gift certificates available lic can ask questions and learn more about Sportsmen who want to see addition- the various options before submitting their al antelope hunting opportunity in New own comments, Lane said. Mexico need to keep track of the proposed Beginner archery sets for ages 5 and up The department will take those com- changes and be prepared to speak up. The ments and revise the options further, and most recent effort to revise the Elk-Private present the entire package to the Game Lands Use System, or E-PLUS, resulted in Commission when it meets Aug. 28 in a loss of tags from the big game draw. Bows for youth How will your voice be heard? and women While many state wildlife agencies than 90 percent a few decades ago to offer nontransferable hunting licenses to less than half today. As most sportsmen Shooting range landowners and family, the New Mexico know, this system has created a market Department of Game and Fish’s system in which many landowners now sell ac- of distributing transferable licenses is cess to tags instead of access to hunting and lessons unique. land. Any reform to the way tags are al- The transferable tag system is often located will prove the most controver- dubbed a “landowner system.” A few sial and difficult part of the decision that Family atmosphere years ago New Mexico renamed its pro- the State Game Commission will face gram the Antelope Private Lands Use this fall. System, or A-PLUS. The options under consideration are: Birthday parties The department has had versions of 1. The 2010 proposal, which would the system in place for decades, but over modify the A-PLUS tag allocation pro- time it has gradually grown to encom- gram based on stakeholder meetings. Bow rentals pass a larger share of licenses. The per- 2. 2008 regional proposal, which centage of antelope licenses allocated would manage antelope on more of a re- through the big game draw has dwindled gional basis and is modeled after the E- over time, from more than 80 percent in PLUS program. Open 7 days a week years past to about 30 percent today (see 3. Eliminate A-PLUS transferable tag graphs previous page). distribution system and put most tags As the percentage of tags allocat- into the big game draw. Landowners ed through the draw has declined, the who agreed to allow public hunters on 2910 Carlisle NE • Albuquerque percentage of antelope licenses going their land would get one license free. to residents has also fallen, from more 4. No change in A-PLUS program. (505) 878-9768 • www.archeryshoppe.biz

Sign up to become a member at nmwildlife.org Page 7 Whites Peak: Swaps show need for gov’t transparency, accountability By Joel Gay New Mexico Wildlife Federation

As New Mexico hunters and anglers we rely on resourc- es we all own – public land, public wildlife and public wa- ters – so it is critical that the branches of government man- aging these resources are transparent and open. That’s our best antidote to the sort of pay-to-play politics that too of- ten infiltrate important decisions about how our resources are managed. Nowhere has this been more clear than in Public Lands Commissioner Patrick Lyons’s efforts to push through two large land swaps in the Whites Peak area. You might think the proposed land exchange was ad- vantageous to the public if all you knew about it came from Lyons’ quotes and sound bites. More than a dozen news stories came out after NMWF issued a press release last November that broke the news about the swaps. But here we look at the commissioner’s claims and show how our research turned up the real story. All this is an example of why groups like NMWF and sportsmen like you need to keep demanding transparency and accurate information from elected officials and the agencies charged with managing our public resources.

Exposing the details: Loss of A view from N.M. 120 looking south at a parcel of land the State Land Office would receive in exchange for prime deer acreage, recreational quality and elk habitat on Whites Peak. (Photo by Ed Olona) New Mexico Wildlife Federation President Ed Olona, Despite the controversy that surrounded past attempts found there would be approximately 50 fewer elk licenses who lives in Springer and has hunted in the Whites Peak to resolve state trust land issues in the Whites Peak area, available to hunters in the big game draw should the Stan- area his entire life, said he first caught wind of the pro- the newspaper legal announcements did not even mention ley and UU-Bar trades go through. posed trades in August 2009. Several acquaintances had “Whites Peak” by name. Instead, the ads said the Land received letters from the State Office was considering an “exchange of Benefit to schools: Minimal Land Office saying their graz- land by sealed bid” in Mora and Colfax ing leases in the Whites Peak “It goes to show you counties, followed by long lists of tract and hinges on heavier grazing area were being revoked and they and parcel numbers. wondered why. that sportsmen can Separate advertisements appeared Following public outcry about the Whites Peak propos- Olona passed the concern on to have an effect if they for the Stanley and UU Bar trades, but als, the State Land Office said the two trades “could” have the NMWF office in Albuquer- neither mentioned those two prominent a yearly financial benefit to the Trust, which is the office’s que, and on Sept. 1 Development get involved.” northern New Mexico ranches. Nor did main duty. But a closer look found that the office’s pro- Director Michelle Briscoe asked the ads mention the other trades that jected annual revenues from the two exchanges was just the Land Office for documents Ed Olona appeared in the Land Office documents $651, and that was based largely on increased cattle graz- and correspondence regarding NMWF received. ing density. the lease revocations. The re- President, NMWF So the public knew nothing about the cords reviewed in mid-Septem- trades until Nov. 20, when NMWF held On the street: Opposition to ber showed that many longtime ranchers in the area were a news conference on the steps of the State Land Office being kicked off longstanding leases. It also showed that to publicize the plan. In subsequent days, Lyons called trades clearly majority opinion several land exchanges were under way. NMWF efforts “inflammatory and misleading,” and told News stories also can be misleading, and a front-page At virtually the same time, mid-September, legal adver- one newspaper he would close public lands in the Whites headline in the Santa Fe New Mexican that said “Hunters tisements on the first of the proposed trades appeared in Peak area to hunting if the trade fell apart. Divided on White Peak Swap” was particularly so. The several northern New Mexico newspapers. story was based on an interviews with just three people, But it still wasn’t clear what effect the proposed trades two of whom had financial or family ties to the ranches would have on sportsmen. It took days to sift through the Trespass problems: Overblown involved in the swaps. documents. The Land Office hadn’t provided a map of the in order to justify land trades NMWF prepared an inspection of public records re- trades so there was no way to make sense of the tract de- quest to the State Land Office following the story and scriptions until Briscoe put one together. She had to com- In news articles, op-ed pieces and video, Commissioner found that more than 97 percent of comments received by pare the parcel numbers listed on the legal ads with infor- Lyons has called the Whites Peak area “a problem that de- the land office were against the trade proposals. mation from the Mora and Colfax county assessors and mands a solution,” where trespassing is “rampant” and an create her own color-coded map. area “impossible to manage.” That effort prompted Briscoe to submit a second records NMWF investigated these claims, too, and found that Government view: Guv pans, request, asking for all information about the proposed while trespass problems exist, they are, in the words of AG sues, court puts on hold trades. In response, the SLO in early October turned over Department of Game and Fish Northeast Area Chief Leif a stack of documents nine inches thick. Ahlm, ”not unsimilar to any other unit that we have in the The concerns raised by NMWF and by northern New “That’s when we discovered how far back this land state.” Mexico residents and sportsmen did not go unnoticed. trade actually went,” Briscoe said. His assessment is backed up by law enforcement reports Members of the Legislature such as Rep. Brian Egolf of “We could see the paper trail beginning in late 2007,” from the Whites Peak area compiled by the Department Santa Fe began to question the proposed trades. Gov. Bill she continued, “when the State Land Office and certain of Game and Fish. NMWF posted the reports on our Web Richardson issued a statement calling it an “ill-conceived landowners started discussing it, picking out property and site and made sure reporters received copies to get a true deal.” State Auditor Hector Balderas opened an investiga- doing appraisals without anyone knowing it – until they picture of the law enforcement issues faced in the area. tion. sent letters canceling those grazing leases.” The reports show a decreasing number of problems — Attorney General Gary King also said his office would Her work showed that the Stanley and UU Bar trades and only two citations and two warnings for trespass in investigate, and then found the proposed exchanges so posed a net loss to New Mexico sportsmen of more than the most recent year for which a report was available. Four riddled with problems that the office petitioned the state 4,700 acres of traditional hunting land in Core Occupied citations and warnings are still too many, but it’s a far cry Supreme Court to put the exchanges on hold. In February, Elk Range (COER) in the Whites Peak area. The largest from the “rampant” and “unmanageable” situation Lyons the court agreed. single parcel the public would receive in the two trades, misrepresented to the public. The Supreme Court heard the Whites Peak land trade making up approximately 80 percent of the UU-Bar trade, case in mid-March, but the justices said the hearing raised was a nearly treeless parcel of land along the highway in a Hunting opportunity: Trades more questions than it answered. They have asked for ad- different game management unit. would result in fewer tags ditional information from both sides by late April. How the court will rule is anybody’s guess, but NMWF Land Office efforts to publicize In a video interview by the New Mexico Independent, President Ed Olona said he’s proud that an organization of exchanges: Slim to none Lyons discussed the Stanley and UU-Bar trades and stat- hunters and anglers was able to stop the State Land Office ed, “In the end there will be more permits being issued, steamroller in its tracks. The Land Office has said it sought public comment on more hunting opportunity.” “This all started with a few simple questions and now the proposal, but one would never know it by simply read- Lyons also wrote in a letter to the Las Vegas Optic we’re before the state Supreme Court,” Olona said. ing the legal ads. In fact, at one point the State Land Of- that the Game Department had been consulted about the “It goes to show you that sportsmen can have an effect fice told NMWF, “There has not been an official comment trades. if they get involved. You have to be willing to ask the hard period for any of the exchanges, and thus no public hear- Both claims make it sound as though hunters get a good questions and to make our public agencies accountable. ing or other formal means by which to receive comments.” deal from the trades. But when NMWF investigated, we And then to stand up for your convictions.” Page 8 NMWF Outdoor Reporter • Spring 2010 ‘Unitization’ swaps land to resolve complaints Goal is to please both hunters and landowners, but concerns raised about process by Joel Gay projects begin when a landowner makes a New Mexico Wildlife Federation complaint about hunters’ behavior. Tres- passing is the most common problem, he A low-profile effort to resolve conflicts said. The department itself also can pro- between hunters and landowners and si- pose unitization projects to resolve long- multaneously improve access to good standing complaints, he said. hunting land is starting to take root in Regardless who suggests a unitization southeast New Mexico. project, the department investigates the The Department of Game and Fish has proposal with an eye toward ensuring that approved eight “unitization” agreements hunters don’t lose opportunity. The private over the years, in which an area of state land that would open for hunting must of- land is closed to hunting but private land fer something equal to or better than the nearby is opened. The agreements are de- public land being closed, Farmer said. signed to benefit both sides, the depart- “We’re always looking out to make it bet- ment says, by eliminating a nagging issue ter for the public hunter.” such as trespass while opening the gate for The unitization must be approved by the hunters to previously inaccessible private department officer doing the inspection lands. and the area chief, then by the department If you’ve never heard of unitization, it’s director and finally by the State Land Of- little surprise. Negotiations are conducted fice – which has the power to grant or deny between the landowner, the department access to state trust lands. and the State Land Office. Neither the Not all unitization projects are approved, The Department of Game and Fish considers the Cuevo Canyon unitization project original one-year agreement nor subse- Farmer said. Three have been nixed in re- (above) a good deal for all. At least one Artesia hunter disagrees and wants to see a quent reauthorizations need the blessing of cent years because the department thought more public process before the department approves projects in the future. the State Game Commission. Sportsmen they didn’t benefit hunters. The Land Of- aren’t consulted, either. fice has denied other swaps, he said. ings or any other matters by the landown- itat when he sees it, scoffs at the notion. The department says the unitization pro- But the department doesn’t have a writ- er, a sheriff’s department dispatcher told Hunters got 910 acres of “flat pasture land gram is working as intended – “It’s a win- ten policy in place regarding unitizations, NMWF. along the highway that you couldn’t hide a win situation” for landowners and hunters, and there currently is no scheduled oppor- “You can’t close this land just because damn jackrabbit on,” he said. said George Farmer, who manages the pro- tunity to comment on proposed new proj- some guy alleges this to have happened,” “Unitization is supposed to be a win- gram in the department’s Roswell office. ects or reauthorization of existing ones. Rivera said. “I want to see a police report.” win situation,” Rivera said. “If this even Hunters appear to be taking the program The department recently posted maps of Trespass was another problem, the land- resembled a win-win for sportsmen, I in stride. Farmer said he hasn’t heard much most unitization projects on its Web site owner told the department. According to wouldn’t mind. But what did sportsmen praise from sportsmen, nor much opposi- (www.wildlife.state.nm.us). In some proj- the department report, “Officers have re- gain and what did they lose?” tion. “Other than one person, we have yet ects hunters actually lose hunting acre- sponded to this numerous times and have Leon Redman, who took over as South- to have any complaints,” he said. age. In those cases, Farmer said, the newly apprehended several violators.” east Area chief last fall, said in March that One person who does have concerns is opened private land offers better oppor- Rivera said the department could have he was reviewing all eight unitization proj- Joe Rivera of Artesia. He and his sons have tunity or access than the previously open solved the problem by closing the 640 ects to ensure they benefit hunters as well been hunting deer in GMU 34 for years, public land. acres of state land adjacent to the rancher as the landowners. His sense so far is that usually on thousands of acres of state land But unless a hunter has personal knowl- and opening the next section farther west. unitization is working and that sportsmen just east of Lincoln National Forest. Their edge of the area, it’s impossible to deter- That would have moved hunters another are coming out ahead, he said. jump-off point had been a 640-acre tract of mine from the maps whether a project ac- mile from the house, yet maintained pub- “It’s been around a lot of years and a state land that straddles CR 10 in Chaves tually benefits the public. And in the Cuevo lic access on both sides of CR 10. lot of people really like it because it gives County and provides access to public land Canyon agreement, the value of the trade Instead, the deal eliminates the access them access to private land” they would both north and south of the road. is disputed. Farmer said hunters come out point that Rivera and others have long used otherwise be locked out of, Redman said. But when he went last year, Rivera said ahead. Rivera says they don’t. on CR 10. The department points out there He said he recently toured the unitiza- he found the 640-acre tract posted with Here are some of the details of that trade, is still access to the foothills where Rive- tion area Rivera has complained about, but signs saying “Private property – no tres- which was approved in July 2009: ra likes to hunt. But Rivera said hunters in March said no decision had been made passing.” According to the memorandum that ex- now must drive to the next canyon south about reauthorizing that particular unit- “How in the hell can this be private plains the project, the landowner asked the and walk several extra miles to reach their ization. He encouraged anyone with com- property,” he asked himself. department to close an adjacent section of traditional hunting grounds for deer, and ments about any unitization agreement to It wasn’t. It had been “unitized.” public land primarily to help control hunt- more recently for elk. call him in Roswell, at (575) 624-6135. Since the mid-1980s, the department has ers. “One continual problem,” the report The department report says the trade Asked whether the department might approved eight unitization projects, all of says, “… is hunters shooting at deer in his benefits hunters by providing access to consider creating a link on its Web site them in the southeast area, said Farmer. wheat fields next to his house. Sometimes four tracts of private land on the north side where sportsmen could post comments on Although other hunters have said little these hunters have shot in the direction of of Cuevo Canyon that has “high numbers proposed unitization projects or reauthori- about the program, pro or con, the ques- the occupied dwelling.” of good bucks.” Farmer said the land may zations, Redman said it depended on de- tions and concerns raised by Rivera sug- Rivera said he was shocked to hear that be flat, but it’s not unlike other areas of the mand. If enough sportsmen want to com- gest the unitization program could do a hunters had fired toward the house, but state. “There’s a lot of deer in that coun- ment online, the department would prob- better job keeping sportsmen informed when he asked for evidence the depart- try,” he said. ably consider it. about changes in the status of public hunt- ment had nothing on file, he said. The But Rivera, a three-term member of the Even now, he said, hunters can e-mail ing lands. Chaves County Sheriff’s Department has state Habitat Stamp Program advisory comments regarding unitization projects According to Farmer, some unitization no record of being contacted about shoot- committee who says he knows good hab- to [email protected].

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Sign up to become a member at nmwildlife.org Page 9 Conservation incentives benefit landowners,wildlife by Joel Gay New Mexico Wildlife Federation More and more landowners are taking advantage of state and federal incentives to voluntarily protect and im- prove wildlife habitat on their property. Programs like the Farm Bill and tax incentives that en- courage conservation easements are helping New Mex- ico landowners improve rangeland and riparian habitat on tens of thousands of acres of farms and ranches, both large and small. New Mexico still lags behind other states in taking ad- vantage of the incentive programs, but if a slew of new initiatives take hold, the number of landowners signing up to make habitat improvements could skyrocket. Recent efforts by the state Legislature and others should make it even easier for landowners to protect and preserve their property, benefiting not just wildlife habitat but hunt- ers and anglers statewide as wildlife corridors are kept open and game populations move across the landscape of public and private ownership. Although 95 percent of New Mexico hunters use pub- lic land, nobody wins when prime wildlife habitat is lost to subdivision or commercial development, said Jeremy Vesbach, executive director of New Mexico Wildlife Fed- eration. “Programs that help keep ranchers and farmers in business in the long run can benefit wildlife,” he said. The Farm Bill (see sidebar) is usually associated with agricultural subsidies, but it also contains millions of dol- lars for wildlife habitat improvement on private land. The bill is often called the biggest conservation program in the world. The money typically goes unspent, however, said Ran- dy Gray, a retired U.S. Department of Agriculture official who worked more than 30 years with Farm Bill habitat programs. The problem, he said, is a shortage of person- The Malpai Borderlands Group (see Page 11) was formed by ranchers in the Bootheel of New Mexico and across the nel within the Natural Resources Conservation Service, border in Arizona in 1993 to protect and conserve fragile habitat on private lands within that million-acre region. or NRCS. Warner Glenn, one of the co-founders of the Malpai group, put his 23-section cattle ranch into a conservation ease- “There are not enough boots on the ground working ment. Here he is taking a break from ranching to exercise his hounds. (Photo by Raymond Harris) with landowners to implement these wildlife programs. There are fewer NRCS employees now then when I start- Rio Grande corridor. The conservation fund was passed with the support of ed working there more than 30 years ago,” said Gray, who “The middle Rio Grande has a lot of unique pressures NMWF and other groups that support conservation ef- now is the Farm Bill coordinator for Intermountain West on it,” including the ongoing loss of agricultural land and forts on private and public lands. Joint Venture, a nonprofit based in Missoula, Mont. water rights, both of which affect wildlife, Dello Russo Lack of cash has been a stumbling block to some con- Gray and others are hoping to change that in New Mex- said. The coordinating group would like to see similar po- servation efforts, said Michael Scisco of the New Mexico ico. Agencies and nonprofit organizations including the sitions established elsewhere in New Mexico in the fu- Land Conservancy. Establishing conservation easements state Department of Game and Fish, the U.S. Fish and ture, she said. requires surveys, legal documentation and other expen- Wildlife Service, the Natural Resources Conservation The jointly sponsored private lands biologist would be sive work, and some landowners shy away from them sim- Service and Intermountain West Joint Venture have been a first in New Mexico, but there are about 150 around the ply because of the costs. The new fund could help pick working together in hopes of hiring a biologist whose pri- country, including four in Colorado, three in Utah and up the tab, permitting more landowners to participate, he mary function would be to help landowners make conser- two in Arizona, according to Gray. They are liaisons be- said. vation improvements, in part by tapping Farm Bill pro- tween landowners and state and federal agencies with the The conservation fund also could allow landowners to grams. express purpose of helping as- take advantage of Farm Bill Gina Dello Russo, an ecologist at Bosque del Apache sist landowners who want to “There are not enough boots programs that require a non- National Wildlife Refuge and a member of the coordinat- improve their land as wildlife federal matching grant. For ing effort, said the new biologist would be based in So- habitat, he said. on the ground working with example, Colorado has re- corro with a goal of assisting landowners who want to Applying for a Farm Bill ceived more than $10 million conduct conservation efforts on their land in the middle grant can be a daunting pro- landowners to implement in the Farm Bill’s Farm and cess, according to those fa- these wildlife programs.” Ranch Land Protection Pro- miliar with the paperwork. gram; lack of matching grants Conservation Easements 101 The new private lands biolo- has limited New Mexico to A conservation easement is a voluntary agreement gist will know what Farm Bill Randy Gray, $800,000, Scisco said. between a landowner and a qualified conservation programs are available, could Cecilia McCord of the Rio organization that helps landowners protect signifi- help guide the landowner Retired NRCS official Grande Agricultural Land cant resources such as productive agricultural land, through the application pro- Trust said efforts that help ground and surface water or wildlife habitat. cess and provide links to other resources. preserve agricultural land and the farming way of life in One thing conservation easements don’t do is au- “When these partnership biologists go to work, they’re the Rio Grande valley also benefit wildlife. When a farm tomatically allow public access – not unless the land- not thinking about center-pivot irrigation,” Gray said. is broken up and subdivided, the land can no longer sup- owner wants it. “They’re thinking about habitat. They’re biologists.” port wildlife to the same extent, McCord said. Landowners who voluntarily give up development The private lands biologist – who Dello Russo said “Fragmentation of farm land and loss of water rights are rights on their property get something tangible in should be hired this year – will start off with an important key,” she said. return: tax relief. Because land is worth less with- boost. The Natural Heritage Conservation Fund, which In the rapidly developing Rio Grande corridor, even out development rights, the easement is considered the Legislature approved and Gov. Bill Richardson signed small conservation easements can help preserve open a charitable donation. The easement provides certain in March, is a new source of capital for, among other space and provide wildlife habitat. The New Mexico Land short-term state and federal tax deductions for the things, conservation projects that need matching funds landowner, as well as lower property taxes. for federal grants. Continued next page A conservation easement also reduces the potential estate tax, which can mean the difference between keeping the land “in the family” and having to sell it Farm Bill offers billions for private land conservation efforts just to pay the IRS. Congress reauthorizes the Farm Bill every six years, watering facilities on overgrazed land near Estancia, New Mexico is one of several states that offers and in recent years the bill has provided billions of dol- creating a safe haven for wildlife. an additional incentive. Property owners who don’t lars for conservation programs on private land. The • Expanded the Environmental Quality Incentives have enough income to use all the tax credits from a 2008 bill nearly doubled the amount available for con- Program by more than $1 billion, helping fund projects conservation easement can transfer their unused tax servation, to $7.9 billion. Highlights include: like that of Portales-area rancher Jim Weaver. He has credits to a third party for cash. • Authorized $50 million for a new Voluntary Public received EQIP grants to improve lesser prairie chicken This important transferable tax credit helped Colo- Access and Habitat Incentive Program, which will fund habitat on his ranch near Causey. rado protect more acreage by conservation easements programs like New Mexico’s Open Gate (see Page 1). • Extended federal tax credits for conservation ease- than are in the state park system. NMWF and other • Reauthorized $85 million annually for the Wildlife ment donations by private landowners. groups helped convince the New Mexico Legislature Habitat Improvement Program, or WHIP, which has to adopt the same program here. been used for projects like the installation of wildlife Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Page 10 NMWF Outdoor Reporter • Spring 2010 Land trusts come in many shapes, sizes, interests NM Land Conservancy works statewide Vernon Casados had worked on the 200-acre farm as a boy and teenager, then bought it from the man who treated him like a son. On the banks of the Rio Chama he raised cattle and hay. But after devel- oping cancer, he couldn’t work the land like it required. He lost markets. Then the economy tanked. Reluctantly, he put up his farm for sale. “The first guy had three questions: If I owned the water rights, if they were trans- ferable, and what were the subdivision rules in the county,” Casados recalled from his new home near Las Cruces. “I knew this guy wanted to chop it up into little ranchettes, and I didn’t want that.” Instead, he worked with New Mexico Land Conservancy to put his ranch into a conservation easement, then sold it to the wool-growers cooperative in Los Ojos “with the assurance that it was nev- er going to be subdivided, broken up or trashed,” he said. “It was a win-win situ- ation – it gave me some cash and the land stayed in the community.” New Mexico Land Conservancy has about 76,000 acres in easements, includ- ing a growing collection around Alegres Mountain, south of Pie Town. Current or proposed agreements protect the southern flank, and landowners on the north side are talking about the same, said the con- servancy’s Michael Scisco. “It’s our ultimate goal to protect all the Sid Goodloe has been clearing brush and doing other habitat conservation work on his ranch for more than 50 years. He and his property” ringing the mountain, creating wife Cheryl created the Southern Rockies Agricultural Land Trust specifically to help working ranches in New Mexico continue to a wildlife corridor between Apache and exist by putting them into conservation easements. (Photo provided by Sid Goodloe) Cibola national forests, he said. Southern Rockies Agricultural Land Trust focuses on working ranches Trust for Public Land Sid Goodloe had been doing conserva- men were not interested, Goodloe said. ing ranches. The land trust simply moni- tion work on his 3,500-acre ranch north Their brethren in Colorado turned out to tors them to make sure the conservation sets sights on forests of Capitan the old-fashioned way for be more concerned about them. In fact, the agreements are upheld. Protecting agricultural land from devel- more than 50 years – with shovels, chain- Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Ranch property values in his area have opment is a common type of conservation saws and heavy equipment. But he put Trust now has conservation agreements risen more than 10-fold as southcentral easement, but the Trust for Public Land the ranch into a conservation easement on more than 350,000 acres – more land New Mexico gets “discovered” by rich is working at higher elevations – forest after pondering his own mortality, he than is contained in Colorado’s state park retirees. But Goodloe continues to run lands in private ownership. said. He feared that taxes would force his system. cattle, raise some crops and whack away Working with willing landowners and heirs into selling the ranch. Goodloe could have gotten an ease- at the ever-encroaching pinon-juniper partners including the U.S. Forest Ser- “I knew the buyer would be a develop- ment through another land trust, but de- forest with his chainsaw, he said. vice, the state Division of Forestry and er, and all the work I’d done in wildlife cided New Mexico farmers and ranch- Since protecting his own ranch with the nonprofit Forest Trust, TPL has helped habitat and wetland protection would go ers needed their own. In 1999 he and a conservation easement, “Nothing’s protect tens of thousands of acres of pri- down the tubes because the ranch would his wife, Cheryl, launched the Southern changed at all, except that it can’t be de- vately owned forest land from subdivision be covered in roofs and pavement.” Rockies Agricultural Land Trust, which veloped,” Goodloe said. “When I die, it or commercial development in New Mex- When he first considered the conserva- now has agreements on 13,000 acres. will be valued as agricultural property ico since 1982. tion easement idea, New Mexico cattle- The participating ranches are still work- only. I don’t have to worry any more.” One recent example is east of Tierra Amarilla, in the Rio Vallecitos drainage near Hopewell Lake. TPL Executive Di- Malpai Borderlands Group tackles regional issues in Bootheel rector Greg Hiner said his group is help- In the Bootheel of New Mexico and other grassbank members to “rest” their Members also have worked with state ing a family put its 11,700-acre ranch into across the border in Arizona, a unique land by transferring their grazing opera- and federal agencies to restore native a conservation easement, ensuring that group of landowners is working togeth- tions to the Gray Ranch. grassland and savanna and expanded the the ranch will never be developed and er to improve the million-acre area on a Since then, activities have included use of prescribed fire as a natural land- protecting valuable habitat for elk and landscape scale basis. purchase of conservation easements, scape process. trout in the Rio Vallecitos headwaters. Malpai area ranchers had been meet- fire planning and prescribed burns, wa- Malpai spokeswoman Wendy Glenn The basis of much of TPL’s work in ing since early 1990 and organized as a tershed improvements, a multi-species said both wildlife and the general public New Mexico is the Forest Legacy Pro- nonprofit land trust in 1993. They estab- Habitat Conservation Plan, and coopera- benefit from the wide-ranging work of gram, which is funded by the U.S. For- lished a grassbank in exchange for con- tion with government agencies and other the borderlands group. est Service and administered by state for- servation easements on ranch lands. The nonprofits. “Instead of having all kinds of build- estry agencies. To date almost 2 million original grassbank included the Animas In the Malpai area, there are approxi- ings and roads in that area, there are large acres of private forest nationwide have Foundation, which had purchased the mately 77,500 acres of private land under areas of open space land that cannot be been protected through the program. Gray Ranch in 1994 and agreed to allow Malpai Group conservation easements. disturbed,” she said.

. . . Idea of conservation easements gaining ground among landowners Continued from previous page come around, according to Sid Goodloe, a Goodloe and his wife persevered, cre- added. rancher near Capitan. ating the Southern Rockies Agricultural Nowadays Goodloe said he gets a warm- Conservancy has easements as small as He said his fellow cattlemen were either Land Trust. The trust was created by and er reception when he brings up conserva- two acres (in Corrales). It also has one of neutral or opposed to the concept of con- for working ranchers and now holds con- tion easements, especially with those who 50 square miles, near Magdalena. servation easements when he started talk- servation easements on 13,000 acres. are thinking long-term. Conservation easements and other hab- ing about them more than a decade ago. Other ranchers are starting to see the “If people on working ranches are inter- itat-enhancing programs have been em- “You didn’t just go up to a rancher in benefits of conservation easements, he ested in protecting that property for their braced by some landowners. The larger southeast New Mexico and start talking said. The New Mexico Department of Ag- families,” he said, they should be inter- agriculture community has been slow to about them,” he laughed. “You’d get run riculture has even put out publications ex- ested in conservation easements. “We give embrace the concept, but is starting to off.” plaining what easements are all about, he them all the help we can.” Sign up to become a member at nmwildlife.org Page 11 . . . Open Gate gives landowners cash, sportsmen access Continued from Page 1 erty, Roberts said. That reflects the state’s decision to expand the program slowly and carefully. It also means there’s a lot of room to grow, he said. When Roberts took over the fledgling operation two years ago, it was leasing 20,000 acres. Last year, Open Gate of- fered 120,000 acres and had right-of-way agreements that provided access to another 60,000 acres. Asked how big the program could get, Roberts said 500,000 acres is a goal. By way of comparison, Montana has about 8.5 million acres enrolled in its Block Man- agement program. In all, about 30 landowners have enrolled in Open Gate, he said. Why do they do it? “I think the money is the driving force,” said Roberts. With the average lease pay- ing around $1 an acre, however, “This isn’t going to make anyone rich.” But there’s more to it than that, he add- ed. “A lot of landowners support the hunt- ing heritage and really like to participate in providing sportsmen with opportunity,” Roberts said. Richardson, who has leased a 25,000- acre ranch in GMU 41 for more than 20 years, said he appreciates the money and likes helping out sportsmen, but also sees two sides to Open Gate. Most bird hunt- ers are courteous and respectful, he said. When he opened his ranch to youngsters who had drawn a deer tag, it was heart- Isaac Martinez, 13, of Española, rests after harvesting a white-tailed deer on Jim Frank Richardson’s ranch in GMU 41. Richardson’s warming, Richardson said. “To see those ranch is one of many enrolled in the Open Gate program. (Photo provided by Derwin Martinez) little kids and the fun they had was just great.” In fact, changes are already in the works. like a golfer who needs reservations to use “Once these rules are in place, we will But Open Gate has a flip side, he said. As part of this year’s overhaul of all big a course, Roberts said. Before going to one have the authority to enforce them” and He has had a few hunters drive on mud- game rules, the Department of Game or more Open Gate properties, sportsmen ensure that sportsmen treat the land with dy roads and leave and Fish is propos- would have to check in. “If you plan ahead, respect, Roberts said. ruts or discard ing several “side- that shouldn’t be a problem,” he said. New Mexico has a long way to go be- their spent shotgun boards” that Roberts Registration would help in several ways, fore matching Montana or Wyoming in shells. It doesn’t IF YOU GO said should improve Roberts said. Game and Fish could use the terms of leasing private land for sports- happen often, and Check out the Open Gate program Open Gate for hunt- information to tell how many people use men’s access, but it’s a start, Roberts said. he was quick to say at www.wildlife.state.nm.us. There ers and landown- each lease property. The data could be the The Open Gate program could easily dou- he doesn’t take it are maps and information about op- ers. This is the first basis for adjusting lease payments or deter- ble in size, to around 250,000 acres, using personally. portunities for upland birds, turkey major review of the mining future Open Gate needs, he said. the existing fee structure. With additional “I called Aaron and deer. program since it was Online registration would also help land- funding (see Farm Bill sidebar below), the and told him to get established. owners like Richardson figure out who left state eventually might provide access to as ready – I was go- One critical need, behind a box of empty shotgun shells or much as 1 million acres, Roberts said. ing to send him a big old box of shotgun Roberts said, is the ability to track who is trashed a road. Currently, anyone enrolled He is optimistic that landowners will shells,” Richardson said with a laugh. using Open Gate properties. Right now, no in the Open Gate program can require flock to the Open Gate program as im- All in all, however, Richardson said the one knows. sportsmen to check in, but some ranches provements are made and as word gets out pros of Open Gate outweigh the cons. And The department might adopt an online are enormous or perhaps the manager is about it. Roberts relies on participating he’d even start encouraging his neighbors check-in system, though probably not un- off-site, making it difficult for hunters to landowners to advertise the program, al- to enroll if the program adopted a few til the 2011-12 license year, he said. The stop by the owner’s house. though he also made a bid to attract ranch- changes. system could work for hunters and anglers The other top priority for amending es through the Antelope Private Lands Use Open Gate is to “give the program some System, or A-PLUS. teeth,” Roberts said. “Now it’s up to the in- Eventually he hopes to see competition dividual sportsman to be ethical, responsi- among landowners to enroll their lands ble and respectful of the private land.” The in Open Gate. Additional funding may be proposed regulations will contain a list of available to assist landowners with habitat dos and don’ts, from vehicle restrictions to improvement projects, Roberts said, mak- an alcohol ban. Violators of the Open Gate ing their land even more attractive to game rules could be charged with trespass. animals, and therefore to sportsmen. Farm Bill could give Open Gate huge boost The federal Farm Bill that Congress could apply for grant money. As the rule approved in 2008 contains $50 million is currently written, the federal funds for states to use for land lease programs could be used to lease land through pro- like Open Gate. A cash infusion could grams like Open Gate, or to help private help the program expand dramatically. landowners improve wildlife habitat Unfortunately, there’s a hitch. The U.S. on their property for public hunting or Department of Agriculture, which con- fishing. trols the funding, still hasn’t approved Programs like Open Gate are a boon the final rules that will make the money to both the public sportsman and to land- available, said Terry Riley of Tijeras. owners, Riley said, particularly in states Riley should know – he helped write where virtually all the land is privately the funding measure in 2002 when he owned. But even in New Mexico, which worked for the Wildlife Management is roughly half public and half private Institute. “We’d been working on it since land, access programs are important. the 1990s,” and it took until 2008 to get “These have been the most popular the language in the Farm Bill. Now ev- programs in every state they’re in,” he eryone is waiting for the rules, he said. said. Even more than a win-win situa- “You have to be persistent.” tion, Riley said, “It’s a win, win, win, Aaron Roberts, Open Gate coordinator for the Department of Game and Fish. (Photo Once the rule is approved, states win, win.” provided by Aaron Roberts)

Page 12 NMWF Outdoor Reporter • Spring 2010 NMWF analysis Is full fee up front system working as intended? By Michelle Briscoe tiative. A survey of members in June 2009 or not. This is likely due to the economy. unclear, but another year of data will help New Mexico Wildlife Federation found that nearly 38 percent favored the The largest single drop in applicants was to illustrate trends. system, while 27 percent opposed it. But nonresident elk hunters—which was not We also do not yet know anything about In the 2009-10 hunting season that re- the largest group of respondents, just un- yet a full fee up front species—with 3,481 who is dropping out of the draw. For in- cently ended, the Department of Game and der 40 percent, said the system “should fewer applicants than the year before. stance, are youths leaving at a higher rate? Fish began implementing full fee up front be evaluated on what effect it has on the 2) But applications dropped at even One of the concerns we often hear from for online applicants. This was an initia- number of applicants and the department higher rates for full fee up front species. NMWF members is the family’s financial tive passed by the Game Commission in should request my input before further For instance, nonresident applications for ability to submit applications for their chil- December 2008 with the hope of increas- changes are made.” bighorn sheep, (the cost of which rose from dren or others they would like to take hunt- ing hunters’ odds in the big game draw. NMWF has begun analyzing the full fee $8 to $3,172) fell by 57 percent. The drop ing. Youths often apply for unrestricted The assumption was that requiring the up front system in an effort to determine in nonresident sheep applications also af- (adult) hunts and are not easily tracked in full fee up front for everyone applying for its effects. This analysis is preliminary, fects resident hunter odds because there is the draw odds reports. While the propor- a hunt would reduce the number of appli- however. The first year did not require full no quota applied to bighorn, oryx or ibex. tional reduction in first choice applicants cants to those truly committed to hunting. fee up front for the most popular hunts – 3) It is difficult to isolate the effects of for youth-only bighorn sheep and ibex No public comment period or formal anal- deer and elk – so more years of data will full fee up front after its first year. Since hunts were even higher than for unrestrict- ysis of the impacts of full fee up front were better illustrate the trends. It is also impos- the fee change applied only to less popular ed hunts, drastic shifts in available licens- completed prior to its adoption. sible to isolate the effect of full fee up front species, it is hard to determine how much es for other species like javelina and deer Due to the short window to implement from the overall economic downturn and effect it is having. For instance a drop of actually resulted in more youth applicants. the requirement, only the full fees for other changes like rising application fees. 1,524 resident applications for bighorn These issues greatly skew the analysis so pronghorn, bighorn sheep, ibex, javelina And even relatively small changes in tag sheep (a full fee up front species) is an al- trends are impossible to determine without and Barbary sheep were required up front allocations – such as the number of big- most 40 percent change. But a larger total a detailed analysis. for the 2009-10 season. Full fee up front horn sheep tags rising from 15 to 16 – can drop of 1,992 resident applications for deer We hope to see a comprehensive anal- was applied to all species for the upcoming dramatically affect the odds. (not a full fee up front species) is less than ysis from the state Department of Game 2010-11 season, but data for that drawing Given those caveats, there are a few a 4 percent change from the year before. and Fish regarding the impact of full fee is not yet available. trends worth noting: The bottom line is that it seems full fee up front in the future, but until then New New Mexico Wildlife Federation mem- 1) Applications for all species were up front is making a difference in the num- Mexico Wildlife Federation will continue bers were split on the full fee up front ini- down, whether they were full fee up front ber of applicants. How much difference is to analyze the data and keep you informed. Changes in draw odds in first year of new system Resident % Change Nonresident Resident Resident 1st Choice Resident Nonresident 1st Choice % Change License Resident 1st Choice Draw Applicants 1st Choice Nonresident 1st Choice Nonresident Applicants Nonresident Species Year Licenses Applicants Odds Change Applicants Licenses Applicants Draw Odds Change Applicants FULL FEE UP FRONT Antelope 2008-09 1,111 13,912 7.99% 308 3,417 9.01% 2009-10 1,108 11,541 9.60% -2,371 -17.04% 312 2,227 14.01% -1,190 -34.83% Bighorn Sheep 2008-09 4 3,857 0.16% 11 5,513 0.16% 2009-10 10 2,333 0.34% -1,524 -39.51% 6 2,359 0.34% -3,154 -57.21% Ibex 2008-09 106 2,758 3.32% 54 2,058 3.32% 2009-10 134 1,925 6.03% -833 -30.20% 51 1,145 6.03% -913 -44.36% Javelina 2008-09 1,746 3,068 56.91% 154 182 84.62% 2009-10 2,240 2,393 93.61% -675 -22.00% 120 125 96.00% -57 -31.32% FEE PAID IF DRAWN Deer 2008-09 26,054 51,800 50.30% 5,028 11,216 44.83% 2009-10 26,187 49,808 52.58% -1,992 -3.85% 5,238 9,616 54.47% -1,600 -14.27% Elk 2008-09 15,629 45,314 34.49% 3,714 20,224 18.36% 2009-10 15,530 43,824 35.44% -1,490 -3.29% 3,837 16,743 22.92% -3,481 -17.21% Oryx 2008-09 1,836 11,879 14.86% 398 3,152 14.86% 2009-10 1,801 10,481 16.51% -1,398 -11.77% 366 2,645 16.51% -507 -16.08% Bank of America took in $740k from NM tag fees Editor’s note: The Rio Grande SUN, Game and Fish projected that it would pay tant Director Pat Block said online credit who applied by mail. In previous years, Española’s weekly newspaper, ran this Bank of America more than $740,000 in card applications make up about 80 per- those applying by mail were required to story on May 28, 2009. It is reprinted credit-card processing fees for the 2009- cent of that total. send the entire license cost along with here with permission of the SUN. The 10 license lottery. To cover that expense, The department contracts the running their mailed-in application, while those story provided an important analysis of the department raised the application fee of the online system to Bank of America, applying online were only charged the what happens with the nonrefundable for all licenses to $9 for residents and $12 which charges a flat rate of 1.3 percent application fee. application fee hunters pay with each for nonresidents. per transaction, Block said. By law, the department cannot make species they apply for, and another im- In the previous year, the application fee “You can imagine the cost,” Block said. money on the game lottery itself, only on portant effect of the new full fee up front was $8 for all. [This year it is $10.] “That’s why we had to raise the applica- the subsequent sale of licenses. system passed by the State Game Com- The banking fees skyrocketed because tion fee.” “It’s required that what we charge and mission. starting [in 2009], the state required hunt- The new system benefits Bank of receive for the application fee doesn’t ex- ers submitting online applications for an- America in another way. Before, the tens ceed our cost of running the drawing,” By George Morse and Sarah Welsh telope, bighorn sheep, ibex and javelina of thousands of hunters who applied on- Block said. SUN Staff to charge the full license fee — which line but did not draw a license were only But with so many applicants, hunters topped out in 2009 at $3,160 for a non- charged the $8 application fee. Now those often argue that the department is tak- Hunters who wanted fairness in New resident bighorn license — to their credit hunters are charged the full license fee up ing in more than $1 million in application Mexico’s game-license application pro- cards. In previous years, online appli- front, and if they do not draw a license fees and that it shouldn’t cost that much to cess ended up with a new system in which cants were only being charged the appli- they receive a refund. hold the drawing. everyone is paying more, and the main cation fee. The refund constitutes a second credit- According to a department budget beneficiary is neither the state nor hunt- The volume of transactions is enor- card transaction and is also subject to the breakdown, the state will actually spend ers but a single financial entity — Bank mous, and the bigger each transaction is, 1.3 percent fee, Block said. more than $2.03 million to administer of America. the more the bank benefits. Hunters sub- Block said requiring the full license fee the 2009-10 lottery. Based on a figure of According to state documents [from mitted 166,490 applications for the 2008- to be submitted with online applications roughly 160,000 applicants, it estimates early 2009], the state Department of 09 lottery cycle, and department Assis- is the result of complaints from hunters the cost per applicant to be $12.71.

Sign up to become a member at nmwildlife.org Page 13 Game wardens upping ante against poachers by Joel Gay New Mexico Wildlife Federation

Economic times may be tight, but poach- ers beware: The Department of Game and Fish isn’t letting down its guard just be- cause it’s running a little short on staff. In fact, the department’s top cop says enforcement efforts will soon step up, se- lectively targeting those who steal public wildlife and reduce the law-abiding sports- man’s hunting opportunity. Dan Brooks, chief of law enforcement, said he and other department officials are revamping the day-to-day priorities of the state’s 60-plus game wardens. The idea is to take aim at illegal activities that cause the greatest damage, then manage Law Enforcement Division personnel more strategically, he said. “With the resources we have – and knowing we aren’t going to get any extra resources in the near future – how do we make the best use of the people we have?” he told NMWF in an interview. Technically, the state has 67 conserva- tion officer positions, but only 61 are cur- rently filled, Brooks said. It’s typical for the department to have a few vacancies among game wardens. When one leaves, it takes about a year to train and prepare a replacement. But these days the vacancy problem is exacerbated by a statewide hiring freeze that has prevented new vacancies from be- ing filled. Game and Fish, which is fund- ed by sportsmen through license fees and sporting goods taxes, has requested an ex- emption from the freeze, but it hasn’t come State Conservation Officers Mike Perry, left, and Chris Larsen load a deer decoy into the back of a truck. As the Department of Game through yet, Brooks said. and Fish grapples with having fewer resources, law enforcement officials are working on a plan that will focus attention on illegal In addition, Gov. Bill Richardson has activities like poaching, which affect law-abiding hunters and the public. (Photo © 2000-2010 N.M. Department of Game and Fish) ordered every state employee – including conservation officers – to take five- fur contacts between game wardens and the able to law-abiding hunters, Brooks said. qualms about leaving an animal behind if lough days in the last half of the current public may not increase. But wardens will not focus their prima- they fear being caught, he said. fiscal year, which ends June 30. With the “In fact, the number of contacts may ry attention on what he calls the “unin- By killing animals illegally, they di- state budget crisis expected to continue go down,” Brooks said. “And I’m OK with formed” poacher, the hunter who shoots rectly affect the number available for law- next year, additional furlough days are that if we’re protecting our wildlife re- a turkey on the wrong property or who abiding hunters. But they also harm hunt- possible. sources at a vulnerable time and there’s an didn’t take the time to read the rule book. ers in the long run by removing the biggest The hunting and fishing public may not increase in the number of animals for us They’re the poachers who, when ap- animals from the gene pool, Brooks said. even notice as Brooks reorders the prior- all to enjoy.” proached by a “Those ity list for conservation officers and the Poachers will be a major target in com- game warden, The game warden vacancy top-level vio- new schedule goes into place, which could ing years, simply because every animal don’t attempt lators have occur as early as this fall. The number of they take illegally is at least one less avail- to hide their problem is exacerbated by a the ability kill because to negative- they don’t statewide hiring freeze that ly affect the know they’ve has prevented new vacancies resource in done any- any area they thing wrong, from being filled, even though operate in,” he said. Brooks said. The depart- the Department of Game and And unfor- ment is more tunately, he concerned Fish is funded by sportsmen’s added, “It’s about the sec- licenses, permits and taxes. the experts ond level of we’re not poacher, who catching.” Brooks calls the “opportunistic” hunter. Expert poachers will likely be the new It’s someone who got so excited about see- top target of law enforcement once the ing a big mule deer that he shot it – even department’s review is complete, Brooks though it was elk season. “If the opportu- said. nity presents itself, they take it,” he said. He doesn’t downplay the seriousness of They know they’ve broken the law, and do issues like failure to buy a Habitat Stamp their best to hide it. or littering, “but those don’t affect our re- But the main focus needs to be on what sources,” Brooks said. “I think it’s more Brooks calls the “expert” poacher. “They important to work on the issues that affect go out in search of animals that are con- our natural resources, our opportunity and centrated and vulnerable,” such as on win- the protection of our wildlife.” tering grounds, and where they can take Brooks said he hopes the new schedule the head or horns quickly. They have no will be in place by this fall. How does New Mexico compare? The state Department of Game and Fish has 67 conservation officer positions in a state with 2 million residents and 121,355 square miles of territory. If every position were filled – and only about 60 are currently – that works out to one officer per 1,800 square miles and every 30,000 residents. Here’s a look at some other western states:

Arizona: About one officer per 1,200 square miles and 69,500 residents A poacher took only the head and the hindquarters, then left this elk to rot near Colorado: About one officer per 713 square miles and 34,246 resident Watrous, in northeast New Mexico, in 2008. (Photo © 2000-2010 N.M. Department of Wyoming: About one officer per 1,940 square miles and 11,000 residents Game and Fish)

Page 14 NMWF Outdoor Reporter • Spring 2010 Sportswoman of the Quarter Nine questions for Tina Buchen Tina Buchen of Santa Fe is a rarity in the BUCHEN: Elk hunting in October, any- world of hunting and fishing – a woman where in northern New Mexico. Valle Vi- who owns and operates a hunting supplies dal would be fabulous, but I’ve given up and gun shop. those dreams. I don’t win the lottery either. She clearly feels at home behind the I think autumn in New Mexico is the most counter at Tina’s Range Gear, which wonderful time in the most wonderful she bought six years ago and where she place in the world. worked for 10 years before that. She seems to know every customer on a first-name NMWF: How did you get involved in basis, knows their interests – by caliber – conservation work? and has a ready smile and laugh for all. As both a hunter and a business owner, BUCHEN: There was a plan to run Buchen also keeps an eye on the world be- electric lines from Abiquiu Dam over the yond her shop doors. She worked to save Jemez Mountains, and I and all my hunt- the Valle Vidal from oil and gas develop- ing partners spoke out against that. I don’t ment, and says state laws and regulations think I stopped it personally, but it didn’t that limit big game tags for resident hunt- happen [thanks to the combined efforts of ers have affected her bottom line. many]. Although she’s not as involved in envi- I got involved in the Valle Vidal cam- ronmental and regulatory battles as she paign because I think the Valle Vidal is once was, she sounds ready to raise her like heaven. It’s one of the last places in voice again when needed. Here is our in- New Mexico that’s a wilderness area that terview with Tina Buchen, condensed and anyone can have access to. Oil develop- edited by Joel Gay. ment is more than just the wells. It’s the traffic, it’s everything. NMWF: Your shop is filled with John I haven’t really been involved in oth- Wayne photos, posters, even a replica of a er conservation issues since Valle Vi- gold-plated Winchester 44.40 lever-action. dal. Nothing has risen to that same level. What’s the story behind all of that? There’s all sorts of issues that need to be addressed, but I don’t think you can save BUCHEN: My sister worked for John everything. Wayne when he was doing a movie here in Santa Fe, “The Cowboys.” I was like 8 or NMWF: How has the business side of 9 years old and he became my hero. I had hunting changed? a few pieces, then customers started bring- ing me other things, and I got more. BUCHEN: The hunting market is dry- ing up a little bit. I do a lot more now with NMWF: What’s your background in law enforcement. I couldn’t survive on just hunting and fishing? hunting. The fact that most locals don’t get drawn for elk tags or deer tags cuts down BUCHEN: I grew up in Los Alamos, the business a lot. The economy is affect- but nobody in my family hunted or fished. ing the business, too. People in northern My father went elk hunting one time. He New Mexico are not overwhelmed with was going to be the camp cook and he was money, and what I do is not necessarily a Tina Buchen, owner of the popular Santa Fe gun shop Tina’s Range Gear, started hunt- the only who ended up harvesting an ani- necessity of life. ing as an adult, and now considers a fall elk hunt in the Valle Vidal her idea of heaven. mal – it basically ran through camp. No- I don’t have trophy hunters here. Most (Photo provided by Tina Buchen) body else in my family does it. of my customers are people who just want I’ve been hunting for 23 years [she is 48]. meat in the freezer. I think in the long run people come in here all the time saying The first time I the current poli- they haven’t gotten an elk tag in seven or BUCHEN: I have many customers went was with “The fact that most locals cies [on tag al- eight years. People start getting discour- with daughters and many of them are get- a friend of mine location] are aged. I know a lot of people who quit hunt- ting into hunting and going out with their in the Jemez. I don’t get drawn for elk tags bad for game ing because they haven’t drawn a tag in so dads. But I have not really seen a great in- just thought it management, long. They just give up. crease in just women coming in and want- would be fun. or deer tags cuts down the because a lot It’s an economic issue for me. When ing to get into the sport. I am sure nation- And we harvest- business a lot.” of people, if people don’t get drawn, they don’t come in wide there are more women getting into ed an elk. they don’t have here to buy ammunition. They don’t come hunting but Santa Fe is not really a gun- or Then I met my money and they in to buy a new hunting knife. They don’t hunting-friendly town. husband and he Tina Buchen don’t have meat, buy rifles. It’s foolish to buy a rifle to go I think the Department of Game and taught me how Owner, Tina’s Range Gear end up poach- hunting when it sits in your closet and you Fish program “Becoming an Outdoors to shoot a bow. ing. can’t use it. Woman” program is great, as I do feel that I started bow- I don’t speak The resident tag allocation tremen- women quite often are intimidated by be- hunting, and I haven’t stopped since. out at meetings. I don’t think it does any dously affects me. I can remember when ing involved in a male-dominated sport, good. The Game Commission is run by it was over-the-counter deer tags, shortly and this program allows them to hang out NMWF: What’s the highlight of your land owners whose primary concern is after I started working here. We actually and learn with other women. time afield? their landowner tags and the money they’re had people lined up, standing behind each going to get off of those. other, waiting to buy rifles. It hasn’t been NMWF: What’s your favorite wild BUCHEN: Every day out in the woods like that since then. game recipe? is a highlight. I think harvesting an animal NMWF: What could the state Legisla- is fabulous, calling elk in is wonderful, but ture and Game Commission do to improve NMWF: You don’t see many women in- BUCHEN: (Laughs) Anything that any- everything leading up to the harvest is just things for hunters? volved in hunting, although a recent U.S. body else cooks. I would just as soon leave as good. Fish and Wildlife Service survey found the cooking to someone else. One of the BUCHEN: I think they should provide that one of the few groups of hunters that city police officers brought me some veni- NMWF: What is your ideal outdoor ex- more resident tags. I know the big money was increasing in number was girls and son stew. It was fabulous. He also brought cursion? is in the nonresident tags, but I think they young women. Are you seeing any in- me the recipe. It hasn’t gone anywhere. I’d need to provide more resident tags. I have crease among women hunters? be happy to give you the recipe. Join today! NMWF members have been protecting It’s quick and easy to join – New Mexico’s outdoor way of life Go to www.nmwildlife.org for nearly 100 years! or fill out the form on Page 20.

Sign up to become a member at nmwildlife.org Page 15 Las Cruces hunters seek game meat for the hungry By Joel Gay New Mexico Wildlife Federation

A popular national program that pro- vides food banks and homeless shelters with big game meat donated by hunters has taken root in Las Cruces. Rob Hoffman, an avid hunter and re- tired New Mexico State University chem- istry professor, said he spent more than two years setting up the local version of a “Hunters for the Hungry” program. After establishing a paper trail to keep track of the donations, arranging transpor- tation for it, rounding up butchers to pro- cess the meat into hamburger and charities to distribute it, he said, “Now we’re just waiting for carcasses.” Hoffman said he started the program af- ter hearing other sportsmen say they like to hunt but don’t want or need all the meat they harvest. “To me that means a lot of meat that’s getting thrown out,” perhaps because it sits in the freezer too long or because a fam- ily doesn’t like the taste, he said. “I just can’t see killing a magnificent animal like an elk without using it. It’s just something that goes against my grain.” Sportsmen in many states have started Hunters for the Hungry programs – par- ticularly in areas like the East and the Mid- west where there is a lot of game available, Hoffman said. The National Rifle Associa- tion supports the effort by hosting a Hunt- ers for the Hungry Information Clearing- house and putting interested individuals in touch with programs in their areas. According to the clearinghouse, hun- Robert Majors (left) and Rob Hoffman show one of the signs they have put up around southern New Mexico to encourage support dreds of thousands of pounds of game meat for the new Hunters for the Hungry program that Hoffman has established. He is hoping the Las Cruces effort will encourage other – organically grown and naturally low-fat sportsmen around the state to get similar programs going. (Photo provided by Robert Majors) – has been donated to food banks, soup kitchens and homeless shelters through the representative in Denver assured Hoffman ability in the event someone was injured where hunters can often go for years with- many programs nationwide. that unless the game meat is mixed with after biting down on a bullet fragment or out drawing a tag, Hoffman said he isn’t A group of hunters in Santa Fe operat- beef, pork or chicken, the carcass can be piece of bone in the meat, Hoffman said. expecting lots of donations from locals. ed a similar program in the past, Hoffman butchered in any processing facility. That protection extends to any agency Still, it doesn’t hurt to ask. Hoffman said said, but it no longer appears to be active. Several custom processors in southern that accepts donations from the food bank, he plans to put up posters around Las Cru- When he started his New Mexico have such as two popular Las Cruces organiza- ces gun shops and sporting goods stores quest in 2008, he agreed to butcher tions, the soup kitchen El Caldito and the asking hunters for meat they don’t want or was essentially on “Now we’re just waiting the game meat – in- food pantry Casa de Peregrinos. that they want to donate to a good cause. his own, and had for carcasses.” cluding cutting out The butchers and food banks are ready Another potential source of game meat to build up the pro- and discarding the for donations and there are plenty of hun- for the hungry is from state-sanctioned gram from scratch. blood-shot portions gry folks in Las Cruces. Now all Hoffman population reduction hunts. If ranchers The state Depart- Rob Hoffman, and grinding the needs is meat – and that’s where hunters have too many deer, antelope or elk on ment of Game and rest into burger – come in. their property, Hoffman said hunts to cull Fish was very sup- Hunters for the Hungry for a reduced price. The Armendaris Ranch already has the herds could serve the needs of both the portive of his ef- Hoffman said an agreed to provide buffalo and oryx, as landowner and the food banks of southern forts, Hoffman said, but it also has a legal anonymous donor has agreed to pick up soon as it gets hunters who only want the New Mexico. mandate to ensure that the game wasn’t the processing costs. If those costs rise in hides and horns, Hoffman said. He plans Eventually, Hoffman said he would like poached. The department requires a paper the future, sportsmen’s groups in his area to approach other large hunting ranches to see other “Hunters for the Hungry” pro- trail for every donated carcass, ensuring have agreed to help raise funds for the pro- and outfitters to see if their hunters might grams develop in New Mexico. It’s not fea- that the hunter had the proper license. gram, he added. have donations, also. sible to harvest an elk or antelope in north- He had been told that carcasses could The meat will be distributed through the In many states, Hunters for the Hungry ern New Mexico and get it down to Las only be processed in facilities inspected West Texas Food Bank, which is based in programs rely on the high number of tags Cruces for processing and distribution, so by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but El Paso but also delivers food to New Mex- any single hunter can purchase, such as if anyone wants to start a similar program that turned out to be wrong. After spend- ico’s needy. The food bank has a special Virginia, where you can buy six white-tail elsewhere, contact him at (575) 642-1032 ing several days on the phone, a U.S.D.A. federal certification that protects it from li- deer tags over the counter. In New Mexico, or at [email protected]. Join today! NMWF members have been protecting New Mexico’s outdoor way of life for nearly 100 years, but there’s lots of work still to be done. Join other New Mexico sportsmen to make our state even better, by working to protect our wildlife, habitat and opportunity! Join NMWF today! Sportsmen like you help us make a difference! It’s quick and easy to join – Go to www.nmwildlife.org or fill out the form on Page 20. Thanks.

Page 16 NMWF Outdoor Reporter • Spring 2010 Sportsmen need habitat funding in energy bill By Joel Gay New Mexico Wildlife Federation

The U.S. Senate is expected to tackle an issue this spring that could have a profound and long-lasting effect on hunting and fishing nationwide – and sportsmen need to speak out and make sure their voices are heard. On tap is an energy bill that would rein in carbon pollu- tion and create thousands of new jobs in the rapidly grow- ing field of renewable energy. Sportsmen also want the bill to incorporate a separate measure introduced in the Senate last year by Sen. Jeff Bingaman. His bill, S. 1933, would dedicate millions of dollars annually to protect, restore and conserve natural resources, ensuring that wildlife habitat is protected from the effects of rising temperatures. But unless hunters and anglers speak out this spring and demand that S. 1933 is included in the pending energy bill, the Senate may leave out or cut back significantly the natural resource protection that is essential, said Os- car Simpson, conservation policy chairman for the New Mexico Wildlife Federation and former State Game Com- mission member. “It will be critical that sportsmen make their voices heard and get this crucial provision in the energy bill,” Simpson said. “This is the most important piece of con- servation legislation in recent times and we need to make sure we get this included in the Senate’s energy bill.” The bipartisan energy bill is being crafted by Sens. John Kerry of Massachusetts, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Joe Lieberman of Connecticut. It could be introduced as early as April 22, Earth Day, and could be debated for passage this summer. Details of the Kerry-Graham-Lieberman bill are still being worked out. But the bill is expected to require pow- er plants and other major industries to reduce their green- house gas emissions gradually over time and set a cost on carbon pollution, probably through a direct carbon tax. The Bingaman proposal calls for using some of the new revenue to directly fund state wildlife conservation agen- cies, among others, to do natural resource protection. In New Mexico that could mean a multimillion-dollar boost to ongoing efforts such as improving habitat for game animals and the threatened Rio Grande cutthroat trout, restoring overgrazed public lands, thinning dense stands of trees and shrubs that reduce vital forage for game and other wildlife, reducing erosion, and fighting in- vasive species that are crowding out native fish and game and replacing native forage. There is abundant evidence that the world is getting Researchers at New Mexico universities say the Southwest is warming rapidly and could soon see higher tempera- warmer, and that the increase is happening more rapidly tures than plants, animals or humans have experienced in this region. Sportsmen’s groups nationwide support Sen. than previous episodes of climate change, said Dave Gut- Jeff Bingaman’s bill S. 1933, which would provide funding to help the nation’s natural resources adapt to the warming zler, a professor of earth and planetary sciences at the Uni- climate. (Photo © 2000-2010 N.M. Department of Game and Fish) versity of New Mexico. Regardless the cause, something is happening and it’s happening fast, he said. ture because of the warmth. corridors as migratory paths change, stronger efforts to “We are starting to see the effects already,” he said. Another UNM researcher, associate professor of biol- stop the spread of invasive species or more restoration Winters are one or two degrees warmer than just 20 years ogy Blair Wolf, said humans will likely figure out ways work like that currently done by the state Habitat Stamp ago, and the trend suggests temperatures will be seven to adapt to the changing climate, but said he is worried Program. degrees higher yet by the end of the century. about wildlife. As a hunter and angler, he said he dreads The future for wildlife looks bleak unless greenhouse “That’s a gigantic change,” Gutzler said. It means Albu- the warming temperatures. gas pollution is halted and reversed, according to “Beyond querque will be like current-day Las Cruces. Las Cruces The rising average temperatures encourage the spread Seasons’ End,” a report commissioned by Trout Unlimit- and points south will be hotter than humans have experi- of invasive species and pests like the pine beetles that are ed, Ducks Unlimited, the Association of Fish and Wildlife enced in that region. “It’s a very different climate than the ravaging forests throughout the Rockies, both of which Agencies and other national hunting and fishing groups. animals, plants and people have experienced here – for- are substantial threats, he said. (The full report is available at www.seasonsend.org.) The ever. We’re headed into un- “Between higher temper- report says animals’ ranges eventually will shift, wetlands charted territory if the pre- atures and lower precipita- and prairie potholes could dry up, species may go extinct, dictions come true.” “Between higher temperatures tion, there will probably be invasive species may drive out natives – the dismal list Some argue that the cli- and lower precipitation, there less food for animals, par- goes on. mate models could be ticularly less plant growth in Not surprisingly, the report continues, “Hunters and an- wrong, and that little or no will probably be less food for the spring,” said Wolf, who glers are likely to be among the first to experience the future change may happen. has been doing research at impacts of climate change, due to their familiarity with That may be possible, Gut- animals, particularly less plant Sevilleta National Wildlife game species and their habitats.” Climate change not only zler said. But then the op- Refuge near Socorro. From threatens wildlife, the report says, but also family fishing posite may also be true: the growth in the spring.” there, “It goes up the food and hunting traditions that may go back for generations. models may be too conser- chain.” In the meantime, sportsmen can step up like we have vative. “That’s where things Blair Wolf Some animal populations so often in the past to help ensure the future health of get catastrophic,” he said. will be able to migrate to fish and wildlife habitat in New Mexico and beyond by The climate models are UNM researcher cooler temperatures or bet- encouraging Senate leaders to include Bingaman’s natu- less clear about precipita- ter forage, either farther ral-resource enhancement funding in the Kerry-Graham- tion. Some say the Southwest will be dryer, some say wet- north or farther up in elevation. But some species may not Lieberman bill. ter. Gutzler, whose research has focused on this area, said make it. That loss of biodiversity is especially worrisome, “Senator Bingaman’s natural-resource funding bill it’s probably safe to assume that precipitation in the future Wolf said. could go down in history as one of the milestones of will be much like it is today – extremely variable. But the “When you start pulling species out of the system, you wildlife conservation in America – if it is incorporated warmer temperatures will make the droughts far worse, change the way that system works,” Wolf said. “When I into the Senate’s climate and energy package with ade- he said. go out to shoot an elk, I don’t want a sterile environment. quate funding,” said NMWF Executive Director Jeremy Warmer winters will mean lower snowpacks and earlier I want to see other wildlife, not just the thing I want to Vesbach. runoff, which means the ground will dry out over a longer hunt.” “Climate change is a serious issue with a lot of uncer- period before the summer monsoons. His research sug- The Bingaman bill would help wildlife and other natu- tainty,” he added. “Senator Bingaman’s bill makes sure gests that future droughts in New Mexico will be deeper ral resources adapt to the changing conditions by doing we are doing what we can for the future of wildlife, hunt- and longer, simply because the ground will hold less mois- more for habitat. That might mean establishing wildlife ing and fishing in New Mexico.” Sign up to become a member at nmwildlife.org Page 17 First-time mountain lion hunt a learning experience By Jason Amaro Special to the New Mexico Wildlife Federation This lion hunt started with a coyote hunt in 2008. I had set up in a brush pile and had been calling for about 30 minutes when I noticed something moving in a bush about 10 yards away. At first I thought it was a bird, but I soon figured out that it was the black spot on the tip on the tail of a mountain lion. To this day I have no idea how he got so close without me spotting him. There is no doubt he could have been on me in one jump. When I got home that night I knew I needed to learn more about lions. I also knew I needed to match wits with one. After searching the Internet and talking to a ton of peo- ple it became obvious that lions are either killed by hunt- ers who just happen to stumble on one or they are hunted with dogs. Never having hunted behind dogs, I had some questions about it. But everyone I talked to said that while the shot itself would be easy, staying with the dogs was the tough part. Unlike deer hunting where you can hunt at your pace, I would need to hunt at the dogs’ pace. Let’s be honest – I will be fighting my genetics forever. My body style is more that of a Hobbit than a track ath- lete. If I was going to keep up with the dogs and the dog handlers I was going to need to put in a lot of miles at the gym and in the mountains. My plan was to drop about 20 pounds and work myself up to running and walking five- plus miles in an hour, three to five times a week. Also, I needed to be smart during the actual chase. Some hunts last a quarter of a mile and some stretch out for 10 miles. I needed to get to the cat at my pace and not burn out too soon. Now that I had a plan, all I needed was to find someone with dogs who was willing to work with me. Luckily, in Silver City the hunting community is pretty close. I made a few calls and I was able to connect with Wayne Billings It took days of following tracks in the snow, but Jason Amaro and his guides finally treed this male. Amaro, an avid of WB Guide Service. Wayne just loves to hunt lions with SIlver City sportsman, learned that mountain lion hunting is all about the dogs. (Photos provided by Jason Amaro) dogs. He is young but very knowledgeable and a solid out- doorsman. Now I had a pack of dogs to follow and some- Colorado Division of Wildlife on mountain lion identifi- ferent lions. one to show me the ropes. cation and tried to soak it in. After reading up on big cats We reconnected with Brandon, and after some false Working as a team, the plan was to cover as much of the I felt like I was ready to roll. starts we found a fresh track. Once the dogs got the scent Gila as possible. Wayne, his hunting buddy Brandon and I A few weeks later we had another storm and Wayne de- they were off – and I mean OFF. These dogs were bred for would be in different areas looking for tracks in the snow. cided we should go together this time. We covered about situations like this. Right behind the dogs were Brandon Once a track was “cut” we would contact each other, come 50 miles by truck but didn’t see anything. It looked like and Wayne. A little farther back I was tracking Brandon up with a plan, release the dogs, chase the dogs that were the storm had completely missed the section of the Gila and Wayne. chasing the cat, find the cat trapped up a tree, figure out if we were hunting. This was the part of the hunt I had been most concerned it was a shooter, shoot the cat, drag it to the truck, skin it Day 4 involved more windshield time and more track- about. The only thing you can do is put one foot in front of and then eat it. less roads, but after four days of trying it was looking the other as fast as you can and hope you can get to where Pretty easy, huh? pretty dim. This lion hunting was turning out to be a hit- the dogs have cornered the cat before any damage occurs. I have never prayed for snow so hard in my life, and in or-miss affair. Thank goodness we had the deer archery About three-quarters of a mile from the truck and 500 mid-December we got a decent storm. Wayne asked me to season to break up the time. vertical feet uphill I caught my first glimpse of the young- cover an area close to town. When I went out, I quickly About a week after deer season we got pounded by a er dogs running on a ridge. They seemed to be going back realized I had no clue what I was doing. It was a pretty day great snowstorm. Off to the mountains we went, all in dif- and forth, which was a good sign. That meant the scent but I might as well have been sightseeing. ferent directions and keeping contact via phone or text. was heavy in the air and the cat was close. I realized that I had never paid close attention to tracks None of us had any luck because the wind quickly filled I finally made it to the tree where the dogs were barking. in the snow. When I got home I downloaded a file from the in the tracks, and again we called it a day. Even knowing the cat was in the branches, it was still hard On my way back to town I stopped at Fort Bayard Na- to see. These animals have an amazing ability to hide. But tional Cemetery to visit my dad’s grave and brush the as I got ready for the shot, the cat jumped. When a cat snow off his headstone. My dad never really liked the cold bails from a tree it usually takes off like a rocket. This guy but I bet he would have loved the view. I also know he turned and faced the dogs and was ready to rumble. would be cheering for me on this hunt, and the way things Fortunately, Rocky called his bluff and the cat took off were going I needed all the help I could find. down the mountain. The following Monday Wayne called and we decided So we were off again, me chasing Brandon and Wayne to split up again. My morning was pretty slow as far as who were chasing the dogs, who were chasing the cat. mountain lion tracks went but I saw mule deer every- This time it was straight downhill. The cat treed again, where. Then at about 7 a.m. Wayne sent a text saying but bailed before we could get to him. Brandon had cut a track. Wayne and I met at some cor- When he treed a third time in an old oak, he didn’t come rals, loaded my gear into his Polaris Ranger and left to down alive. find Brandon and the dogs. Hunting lions isn’t about the shot. It is about the dogs, If you have ever hunted the Gila you know it is big coun- the chase, the challenge of getting to the cat and just the try. We thought it would be tough to find Brandon and his adventure. This turned out to be a quite an adventure for dogs, but Wayne knew the frequency of the dogs’ collars me. and we soon had the general location dialed in. It took about an hour to get to the area, where we soon Jason Amaro works in the health care industry and found two sets of tracks. Brandon clearly had gotten out operates the blog “New Mexico Sportsman,” where this of his vehicle and looked at one set, but it looked like he story originally appeared. He is also an avid bowhunter. drove right past the second set. It also looked like two dif- He can be contacted at amaro_ [email protected].

IF YOU GO ity of female mountain lions have dependent kittens throughout the year, hunters are encouraged to learn New Mexico has an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 moun- to identify females and make informed decisions when tain lions. Hunting is allowed Oct. 1 to March 31 on they hunt. public land (April 1 to March 31 on private land) with The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish has an harvest limits set for each of 17 Cougar Management online Cougar Identification Course that explains how Zones. The bag limit is one per year. The statewide, to determine the sex and approximate age of a moun- five-year average annual harvest is about 220. tain lion, as well as a short exam to test your knowl- Hunters may not take spotted kittens or females ac- edge. You can find the course on the state’s Web site, companied by spotted kittens. But because the major- Jason Amaro with his cat. www.wildlife.state/nm.us.

Page 18 NMWF Outdoor Reporter • Spring 2010 NMWF Inbox

Sportsmen write in, sound off port Authority had to pay both the State used by the livestock. With a large number that could be available for public wildlife. Kudos from Texas Land Office and two ranchers who were of draft legislative bills dealing with wild- The token charge of $1.40 per animal unit I read a copy of the Outdoor Reporter leasing the state land in order to build life management this session [of the Mon- month for public land grazing amounts to while on a trip to New Mexico in Decem- the new space travel facility near Truth tana Legislature], I would be surprised if at nothing more than a subsidy. ber and I agreed with all that y’all are try- or Consequences – essentially forcing the least one isn’t proposing a program such as Landowners, many of you honor and re- ing to promote. state to pay twice for land it already owns.) Ranching for Wildlife for Montana. Such spect the fact that wildlife is held in trust I sure like hunting in New Mexico and I don’t know the lease laws, but the land a program would allow landowners to sell for the public, and we appreciate that. We would love to hunt there often in the fu- commission should have avenues to termi- tags and/or licenses directly to “clients.” also do not dispute the fact that you have ture, but I also think that New Mexico nate a lease without paying a ransom. I believe these folks need to have a his- complete control of who many hunt on ought to take care of their own and make tory lesson. Let’s start with the U.S. Su- your land. sure they have the opportunity to hunt and P.S. I hope we get right of way to our preme Court in 1842, when justices ad- To others who would ignore history and fish in their own state more so than those state and federal lands. I support the Habi- dressed the idea of the King’s Deer: the courts, please remember, you don’t outside of the state. The ones who live in tat Stamp Program and Habitat Manage- “The people are the sovereigns. What own wildlife, and you can’t sell it or the the state (past, present and future) have ment and Access Validation fees, regard- once belonged to the King now belongs to legal authority to harvest it. The citizens probably done or will do more for the nat- less of the types of land hunted; all hunters the people.” of Montana have hired the Department of ural resources than any out-of-state person should pay the same fees. I was glad to see The same court followed in 1896 with a Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and no one else, could ever hope to do. Even though I may the state GAIN program come along, too, more precise decision: “Control of wildlife to manage our wildlife. be shooting myself in the foot by saying as hunters shouldn’t be the only ones to is to be exercised as a trust for the benefit so, it’s the right thing to do from my lim- maintain our precious land. of all people, and not for the government, John Gibson ited point of view. as distinct from the people, or for the ben- Billings, Mont. Well, I hope to come to New Mexico John McKinney efit of private individuals, as distinguished Albuquerque again to hunt this year if possible. I’d like from the public.” John Gibson is president of the Pub- to get that elk, but I’d be very satisfied with Thus, the Supreme Court made it abun- lic Land and Water Access Association. a bear or mountain lion, too. No longer in the dark dantly clear that wildlife is to be connected This piece first appeared in the Billings Todd Hope Thanks for your support of sportsmen. to the people and not to the land (as it is Gazette. Henrietta, Texas Without you we would be in the dark and most of Europe). at the beck and call of politics and big As for forage consumed by wildlife, the business. Montana Supreme Court addressed this Keep an eye on Lyons issue in two cases. In both Sacksmen and Shoot us a line! I read your articles about the deal that Pat George T. Thorning Rathbone, the court stated: Have a question, comment, Lyon is making with the selected ranchers Rio Rancho “Wild game existed here long before the good hunting story or anything over around Whites Peak. It makes me sick coming of man. One who acquires proper- else you want to share? ty in Montana does so with the notice and to think a man elected to an office to up- Lessons from afar Send it to NMWF Inbox! hold the people’s best interests will embez- knowledge of the presence of wild game. zle our land to his advantage. I truly hope Recently, there has been a great deal of Accordingly, a property owner in this state must recognize there may be some inju- Address correspondence to the Attorney General’s Office can default rhetoric in support of privatizing and com- [email protected] or the deals made and start the proceedings mercializing public wildlife – in news- ry to property from wild game for which for Pat Lyons to be tarred and feathered. paper columns and in a book instructing there is no recourse.” New Mexico Wildlife Federation, The AG should also look into the sweet readers on how to increase wildlife on Beyond the court decision that wild 2610 San Mateo N.E., Suite A, deal that Mr. Lyons made with two ranch- their property and how to develop trophy game on the land is a condition of acquisi- Albuquerque, NM 87110. ers so the new Spaceport could be built on horns and antlers on their animals. tion (much the same as recognizing the fact our public trust land, which was leased at Some legislators are also claiming an in- that the wind will blow and rivers will pe- And if you have a question, call the time. justice because public wildlife animals eat riodically flood), private livestock eats for- us at (505) 299-5404. (Editor’s note: The New Mexico Space- thousands of tons of forage that should be age on several million acres of public land Patience rewarded for parents, son on first elk hunt by Carla Mattila came over the radio. Special to the New Mexico Wildlife Federation “Mom, are you there?” “Yeah,” I answered. “Well, I’m done hunting. I shot an elk. Can you drive the truck My husband Jeff and I love to archery hunt. The quali- to come meet us?” I did as instructed. ty time we share when we’re sneaking though the woods In the meantime, Dad started walking toward us. As in pursuit of elk is priceless. he walked he couldn’t control the tears. It took about 10 So when we had our two sons we talked about the fu- minutes for us to meet up, but when we did the hugs and ture of hunting as a family. Would our sons take to hunt- tears were plentiful. We were so proud of our son’s ac- ing as we have? Would our passion be their passion? We complishment. could only hope, knowing that “hunting isn’t for every- As Justin and Jeff told and retold the story, Jeff said he one.” But it seems as though their interest has sparked. learned a lot about patience and ethics from his son. The Spending spring break studying the hunter safety story goes something like this: manual and sitting through two full days of hunter safe- As they came up on a herd of elk with one 3-by-3 bull, ty class may have seemed like a tedious task for a mother Dad told Justin to get into position and when he was of an 8-year-old, but that’s what my son wanted to do so comfortable, shoot. Fearing the elk would sense them that’s what we did. Justin had me up at 6 a.m. every day and bolt, Jeff kept saying “Shoot, Justin, shoot.” of spring break with the words, “Mom, are you ready to Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the gun study?” sounded: KABOOM! The thought came to both of them He was only in second grade but his dad and I had that Justin missed, but after a quick turn and a 70-yard promised when he was a good enough reader, he could dash, the elk went down. Then the high fives and hootin’ take hunter safety. He was the youngest in the class but The Mattila family, (from left) Jordan, Carla, Justin and and hollerin’ began. seemed to be one of the most motivated and prepared. Jeff, with Justin’s first elk.(Photo provided by the family.) And when Jeff asked Justin what took him so long to With every question the instructors had, his hand was shoot, he said that either the elk was moving or there up ready to answer. the woods in pursuit of a bull elk. The first morning, was another one behind it. But most important, he said, After class was finished we continued at home, prac- Dad put Justin on what he considered a “monster bull.” “I didn’t want to make a bad shot and just wound him.” ticing the different firearm carries and crossing the fence The adrenaline flowed as Dad instructed Justin on when With those words a rookie hunter brought his dad to using a broom. When it came to the test, Justin gave me and how to shoot. But there was no shot that day. And tears again. orders not to mess up and cause him a bad grade as I was really no explanation other than “I just didn’t feel com- My reward for sitting through two days of hunter safe- his partner for the fence-crossing portion. But he did ev- fortable.” ty and countless hours studying was being there when erything just right and passed both the written exam and That evening in camp as Dad pondered why Justin my son shot his first elk. What most people would con- the demonstration with flying colors. All of the time and didn’t shoot, various thoughts came to mind. “Maybe sider a small bull was a monster in my book. effort were well-spent. he’s too young.” “Maybe he is not really interested in I look forward to the future when both of our sons are Justin went on his first elk hunt the following year, hunting and he’s just doing this because we want him to.” hunting with us. It brings back memories of the first time when he was 9. It was a cold and windy hunt. With Dad Every morning, however, Justin was up and ready to I hunted with my dad. Although I was much older than as his guide, and with his little brother and me as specta- go. On the fourth day of the hunt, younger brother Jor- my son is now, I will always cherish the bond it has cre- tors, we were all pulling for him. But the opportunity to dan and I dropped off Dad and Justin and headed to a ated between us. This will continue to be a family affair shoot never really presented itself. meeting point. We took our time getting there. And as for years to come. The following year brought another opportunity. we got out of the truck we heard a shot. Not saying a Again, with Dad guiding, the whole family headed into word about it, we just waited. A short time later a call The Mattila family lives in Grants.

Sign up to become a member at nmwildlife.org Page 19 New Mexico Wildlife Federation NONPROFIT ORG. 2610 San Mateo Blvd., Suite A U.S. POSTAGE Albuquerque, NM 87110-3162 PAID ALBUQUERQUE, NM PERMIT NO. 204 Spring 2010

INSIDE: Fn i diNG the balance between public wildlife Also in this issue: and private land is not • Turkey season starts always easy, but efforts with new regs, Page 1 are underway • Antelope management in for changes, Page 6 • Open Gate Program encourages landowners • Is ‘full fee up front’ to allow hunter access, Page 1 working? Page 13 • Research on private land • Hunters aim to feed leads way for habitat the hungry, Page 16 improvement work, Page 4 • Incentives abound for • First-time cougar voluntary conservation efforts hunt, Page 18 on private land, Page 10 • Letters from sportsmen, Page 19

Be ready for next turkey season with this Remington 870 12-gauge shotgun! The winner of our next NMWF raffle will take home this Remington 12-gauge shotgun, perfect for waterfowl, upland game or turkeys, courtesy of Charlie’s Sporting Goods in Albuquerque.

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